Creamy Pesto Sauce Recipe

[CharlieD]

I found this recipe for it but something doesn't really make sence to me. The cream part sounds..., well I don't even know what it sounds like, but to me it doesn't make much sence, just to add cream? That's it? Am I wrong?

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup pine nuts roasted in olive oil
1 cup olive oil
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic
1 cup heavy cream


Directions:

Place all ingredients except cream in a food processor or blender. Blend until well mixed, but not entirely smooth (mixture should still have some texture). Add cream (cream may be reduced slightly in a saucepan over medium heat, if you desire a thicker sauce). Serve over your favorite pasta.
This recipe makes enough for approximately six servings.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Actually, I've made it exactly that way & it was delicious.

I've also made a regular Alfredo sauce recipe & added pesto to that as well for a "cheesier" version.

But what you posted does work just fine. It's not meant to be a thick sauce.

 

[CharlieD]

Thank you. Can you explain a bit more, how does adding cream just as is makes it creamy. In my mind it should be cook in some way?

 

[Alix]

Charlie, I don't know that I can answer your question but I can tell you about the pesto.

Pesto is the green paste (which is what pesto means I believe) and most people prefer to serve it in a creamy base. You only need to heat the cream and add some pesto to it before serving. You can add as much or as little cream as you like. I tend to do about 2 tbsps of the pesto to about 1/2 cup of cream. I heat the cream and then stir the pesto in til its melted in nicely then toss it with the pasta. Try it, you'll like it.

 

[Yakuta]

Hi Charlie, I also follow what Alix stated.

Here is what I do. I first make my pesto - I like to use basil, olive oil, parmesean, walnuts (instead of pinenuts) some lemon zest and lemon juice. Blend it all together until it's nice and smooth (I don't like it chunky or textured).

Next I add this mixture to a saute pan and then add a cup of cream to it. I also hit it with some salt and black pepper or red pepper flakes. I like for it to come to a simmer so that the pesto is completely incorporated with the cream.

It actually tastes pretty good with a penne pasta with shrimps and veggies (carrots and broccoli) or chicken. I don't like creamy pasta's with beef or red meats.

 

[CharlieD]

Aha, you see, you did answer my question. That is what I couldn't understand in the first place. Adding cold cream to pesto did not make much sense to me.

Also, as a side note, Alix, Pesto is called pesto because you supposed top make it with Pestle and Mortar, thus comes Pesto.

My wife likes it, I hate it, so when I first saw the recipe I couldn't understand why it's called pesto, since you use basil and other stuff, so I talked to this Italian girl, and she explained it to me. Too bad, she can't cook as well as she speaks Italian.

 

[Alix]

Thanks Charlie, learn something new everyday. Pestle/Pesto/Paste all have the same root derivation so its nice to know I was on the right track, if a little off the mark.

Rereading your initial posts, I didn't really realize that the idea was to use cold cream. EWWW! I agree with you, that just wouldn't work at all. Cold cream on hot pasta = unappetizing.

Oh, and I think pesto is an acquired taste. Many people I know don't like it much initially, but grow to like it. The more parmesan and garlic I put in the better it tastes IMO.

 

[BreezyCooking]

I'll say again that I've made the recipe exactly as CharlieD originally posted it, & it doesn't turn out "cold" at all. After combining everything - including the cream - in the food processor & tossing it with HOT pasta, it turns out warm, creamy, & absolutely delicious.

There are TONS of authentic pasta sauces that aren't cooked or heated beforehand, using just the heat from the pasta to incorporate them. There's absolutely nothing "EWWWW" about them.

 

[Alix]

Maybe not to you Breezy. I am of a different opinion. I think cold cream and pesto would be a definite turn off for me. To each his own.

 

[CharlieD]

In my case, especially, because i am using non-dairy creamer.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Well, non-dairy creamer definitely puts a totally different spin on things - especially taste & regardless of temp. Non-dairy creamer is nothing but chemicals with dairy flavoring - lol!!!

And again Alix, the cream mixed into the pesto in the food processor & then added to the pasta is absolutely no different from uncreamed pesto added to pasta. Pesto is NOT cooked; is always added cold (or room temp) to hot pasta. I don't see the difference.

Every time I've made this recipe the pasta AND sauce have been hot. I drain my pasta & put a thin film of extra-virgin olive oil in the bottom of the pasta-cooking pot & put it back on the hot, but turned off burner. I then add the drained pasta back in & stir it about in the now hot oil. I then add the cream pesto sauce & toss everything around. The whole pot is steaming.

I'm still confused as to how you think this sauce is "cold"?

 

[Yakuta]

Hi Breezy, I normally add cream later and not while blending everything together is not because of the taste but because I like to have control.

It works better for me to add the cream later because I can control whether it has more of a creamy flavor (more cream) or more of a pesto flavor ( less cream). I guess you can do that in the blender too but it works better when it's all heated up in a pan because all of this releases some liquids and losens up the sauce which gives you a better visual perception than something that's a blended cold.

 

[BreezyCooking]

That sounds like a good idea too Yakuta - especially if dinner has to wait for a little bit. I'll definitely try it. Thanks!!!

 

[Alix]

I'm still confused as to how you think this sauce is "cold"?

Charlie, Breezy, not me. I'm just agreeing with him that cold would taste icky. I don't make my pesto with this recipe (or any recipe really)

 

[cjs]

I'm with you breezy - it's like adding a raw egg to hot pasta...it gets 'cooked' beautifully.

 

[mish]

Charlie, while I have never made pesto with cream, the first thing that jumped out at me was, 1 cup of oil (to one cup of basil), i.e. sounds like a lot of oil (i.e. the ratio of basil to oil). Usually, I see about 1/4 cup oil & about 1-2 cups basil (herbs), but that is not to say the recipe will not be good or turn out well. Seems like a lot of oil to be added to the cream as well (i.e. 1 cup cream & 1 cup oil). These recipes do not include cream, but maybe there's one here you might like to try, as well.

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f19/pesto-bilities-7206.html

Edited to add: I found a recipe using heavy cream, that looks good:

Alfredo Pesto Pasta