We had another glut of tomatoes from the greenhouse. In this video we show you how to dry them. We also include a bit about storing partially dried tomatoes …
Question by Oja: What’s the difference between basil pesto and sun dried tomato pesto?
And if a recipe calls for basil pesto, is it okay to use sun dried tomato instead?
Best answer:
Answer by bambamitsdead
basil pesto = pesto made with basil, pine nuts and parmesan. sun dried tomato pesto = pesto made with sun dried tomato, pine nuts and parmesan
So the difference is one is full of basil and one is full of tomato. One is green and one is red.
If you use tomato one, the dish will taste of tomato, if you use the basil one the dish will taste of basil. If you like that then it’s OK to exchange them.
What do you think? Answer below!
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I agree with the answer above. Also, switching one type of pesto for another is up to you but it depends what other ingredients the recipe contains. For example, if you are making a recipe featuring fresh tomatoes and calling for green pesto, then using red pesto instead might mean the dish is too “tomato-ey” but if you are just looking for something to spread over crackers with your cheese, or to toss with cooked pasta, then you can use either. If you are using the sun-dried tomato kind, then you might want to add some chopped fresh basil leaves to the dish as well, so you get some of the flavor the green kind would give you.
Hi,
A basil pesto is derived from the traditional Liguria recipe that originated in the area of Genoa, Italy. This time-honored sauce is made from sweet basil, pine nuts, pecorino and Parmigiana cheese, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.
Please note that for the traditional basil recipe, all the ingredients are regionally produced.
Sun-dried tomato pesto is considered to be a Sicilian variety. Although, I would differ on that point since the traditional Sicilian pesto is primarily raw pistachios with the addition of smaller amounts of fresh mint and basil and the other pesto ingredients.
Generally, the sun dried tomato pesto is made with a food processor or blender. This sort of emphasizes that it is more modern.
The basil pesto was originally made with a mortar and pestle. Some chefs also use their chef’s knives or the mezzaluna. Nowadays, the food processor is the fastest method. In Genoa, basil pesto is still made with the mortar and pestle.
In Genoa, it is also said that no two cups of pesto are the same. So pretty much anything goes!
Here are recipes for both pesto sauces for you to compare the two.
Sun dried tomato pesto
Ingredients:
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil (preferably extra-virgin olive oil)
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup walnuts, shelled
2 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled
¼ tea. sea salt
¼ tea. Freshly-ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation:
Strain the sun-dried tomatoes over a measuring cup. Add olive oil to the strained oil until you reach ½ cup. In your blender or food processor add tomatoes, walnuts, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover. Pulse a few times to mix the ingredients. With your blender or processor running add olive oil in a slow stream. Mix until a smooth paste is formed. Transfer pesto to a bowl and mix in your cheese.
Basil pesto
Ingredients:
12 whole walnuts shelled.
2 Tbs pine nuts either raw or roasted. I recommend raw.
1 tea. Course sea salt.
4 to 6 black peppercorns
3 to 6 cloves of fresh peeled garlic.
4 Tbs room-temperature butter.
3 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves. You may want to remove all stems and spines from the leaves to reduce the bitterness a little.
4 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
4 ounces freshly grated Romano cheese.
1 ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil. The fresher the better.
Preparation:
Place all the ingredients in your trusty blender or food processor with the exception of one cup of the olive oil and blend on medium. Do not over-blend. Once your pesto is throughly integrated, with your blender or processor running, gently add the remaining cup of olive oil in a gradual stream.
If you have a large enough marble mortar and pestle ( trust me, you want to use a marble or hard mortar), you might elect to try the time-honored method of preparation. In this case, start with the basil, garlic, peppercorn and sea salt. If you use coarse sea salt, your ingredients will combine more easily. Grind your ingredients with the pestle in a circular manner around the outside of the bowl of your mortar. Gradually add the basil leaves until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Add the nuts, walnuts first, then pine nuts. Continue your methodical grinding. Find your rhythm. Take your time. Next, gradually add ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil, then the butter. Mix these together to form a nice paste. Taste it. Add your cheese and the rest of the olive oil. You might prefer to add the cheese and the remainder of the oil in a separate bowl. It is just easier. Stir the mixture together with a wooden spoon.
Now as far as the second part of the question.
There are a lot of recipes where you could substitute a sun dried tomato for a basil pesto. Any pasta or lasagna dish will work well. If you are making bruschetta, the tomato pesto is great.
If you are making a sauce or marinade for fish or chicken, you will prefer to stay with a basil pesto or perhaps even try a cilantro pesto.
The bottom line is the sun-dried pesto is tomato flavored, rich and earthy. Often it has herbs like oregano and rosemary with the addition of black olives.
The basil pesto is lighter and brighter in flavor. More balanced.
I hope this helps.
Mangia bene!
-Wolfie
http://www.pestolovers.com
If it doesn’t contain basil, it isn’t pesto. You can add sun-dried tomatoes to it, though.