Fast & Elegant Pesto

Fresh pesto is easy to buy, but it's almost as simple-and far more satisfying-to make. The Romans likely invented it, but the version we're most familiar with originated in Italy's Liguria region as a simple mince of garlic and basil, though it has since evolved to include nuts, cheese and olive oil.

Traditionalists maintain any concoction that deviates from the basil-garlic-olive oil-Parmigiano Reggiano formula is "just a sauce." Others assign the pesto moniker to flavor blends as far reaching as red chili-cilantro or olive-anchovy.

Pesto is a delicious way to dress up grilled chicken or fish, and enhance garlic bread, pizza or potato salad. Spread it on crostini with goat cheese for a fast and impressive hors d'oeuvre.

The most interesting pesto variations are largely based on the original; adding a flavorful green such as mint to accompany the basil, for example, or substituting walnuts, pistachios or almonds in place of pine nuts. You'll retain the general flavor and consistency of the original with an added dimension.

Beware: Throwing in a whole bushel of basil is a tempting time-saver, but the stems are flavorless, and their chloroform will darken pesto's ideal brilliant bright green hue. And keep the oil in check. Too many pestos are saturated in olive oil, which leaves a pool of slick green residue at the bottom of the pasta bowl. —Kristen Wolfe Bieler

Photography by Mark Ferri

Kristen Wolfe Bieler is a contributor to GQ, CITY and Woman’s Day.

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