I’ve made so many versions of pesto I forget half of them! Sweet. Savoury. They all hold appeal. I ate so much of it in the past that I came to find the traditional intense blend of pine nuts and basil a little too strong.
These days I tend to vary nuts and seeds and use whatever herbs are lurking fridge-side or in a pot. The lottery result is quite fun!
Using less oil requires a little more creativity with some recipes.
This recipe comes in two parts. Read through the whole post, so you can decide which version you’d like to make .. and how much of it! The first batch is large, so you can separate it and make a second, creamier, pourable version with some of that batch.
The photo below show’s oil free pasta flowers and the creamy version on the salad. You can use both together if that tickles your fancy!
Oil Free Pesto
Gather Your Goodies
I Cup Pine Nuts
1 Cup Unsalted Cashews
1 Cup Fresh Basil
1 Cup Fresh Watercress
1 Cup Avocado
1 Clove Garlic (use size according to taste)
(Add lemon/lime juice to taste if you’d like it) See ‘Preserved Lemons and Limes’ here
It’s Action Time!
Pulse your ingredients together in a food processor. If you make half this volume, it may need a little more coaxing to blend in the bowl. You can help by scraping it down the sides, or use a small blender.
Ooh, Really?!
The recipe above is a perfect pesto for slavvering onto chips and baking. It’s a fairly dry pesto, being without added oil. Try these chips and vary the pesto you use each time.
Now we’re going to turn half this mixture into a creamy, pourable sauce! You ready? 😉
Creamy Pesto Sauce
Gather Your Goodies
For the Cashew Milk
1 Cup Unsalted Cashews
2 Cups of Unfiltered Water
For the Pesto
1 Cup of the Oil Free Pesto you made earlier
2 Cups Cashew Milk
Salt’n’Pepper to taste (pink or sea salt and cracked black pepper)
Add more lemon/lime to taste (if you fancy more)
It’s Action Time (Take 2!)
Cashew Milk
Add water and cashews into a high speed blender, blend for a minute.
This is a thicker than usual cashew milk; just right for a pouring sauce that isn’t too runny. If you prefer a more liquid sauce, just add more water when you make the milk.
Pour the milk through a muslin bag over a jug, to remove the pulp.
Keep the milk for your sauce.
Creamy Pesto Sauce
Blend your cup of oil free pesto, 2 cups of cashew milk, salt’n’pepper and add a drop of extra lemon/lime if you require it.
That’s it!
Two recipes in one, to use in a variety of recipes:
- Salads
- As a dip
- On Pasta
- With Rice dishes
- With chicken/seafood
Fire up your imagination and let me know what you create!
See you soon for Wednesday Wisdom. Kitchen tips from the Fermented Foody. 🙂
