| Pesto in Italy and Pesto in the rest of the world; | | | | your dish and have a treat. |
| is just not the same. So what is it that makes | | | | Recipe of the Day - Pesto Chicken Swirl |
| authentic Italian pesto unlike any pesto you have | | | | This recipe assumes that you have made your |
| ever tasted? Is it as simple as making it by hand | | | | own tradition pesto (ie a combination of garlic, |
| or are there certain techniques that ensure a | | | | olive oil, basil and roasted pine nuts). If commercial |
| successful or a flopped pesto? The following will | | | | pesto is used, may be add a bit of coarsely |
| give some general hints as to how to make the | | | | crashed roasted pine nuts and/or chopped basil |
| perfect pesto from scratch. | | | | leaves to enhance the texture and flavour. |
| Pesto originated from the region of Liguria. It is | | | | Serving Size |
| named for the method of its preparation - | | | | 1 Person |
| pestatura - grinding of the leaves and the other | | | | Ingredients |
| ingredients in a traditional marble mortar (murta) | | | | 1. 1 Skinless Chicken Breast |
| using a wooden pestle (pestellu). This gives us a | | | | 2. 50g of Gourmet Cherve (or any mild goat |
| hint of the true key to the perfect pesto - that is | | | | cheese or fetta) |
| hand-grinding using a mortar and pestle. Most | | | | 3. 3 Tspn of your homemade Pesto |
| pesto that you will encounter, will have been | | | | 4. 1/4 Cup of Olive Oil |
| machine blended. This causes the ingredients to | | | | 5. 1 Tspn of roasted Pine Nuts |
| become homogenized into a paste with little or no | | | | 6. 1/2 Cup of Chicken Stock |
| definition between them. By hand chopping the | | | | 7. Salt & Pepper to taste |
| ingredients, you allow for definition between them | | | | Method |
| so that when you taste the final product of the | | | | 1. Pound your chicken breast to a thin piece. To |
| dressed dish, individual flavours pop into your | | | | minimise the mess of the pounding you could |
| mouth in a unique way for a unique taste. | | | | create, just make sure you cover the chicken |
| Ideally, when chopping the ingredients, you should | | | | breast with a layer of glad-wrap while pounding. |
| chop some of the ingredients, then add some and | | | | Make sure to avoid pounding through the meat |
| chop some more. Continue this way until all | | | | creating holes. |
| ingredients have been added and chopped. This | | | | 2. Spread the Pesto on one side of the chicken |
| allows for different sizes of cut ingredients | | | | generously and season with salt and pepper. |
| throughout the pesto, which adds to its texture | | | | 3. Coarsely crushed the cheese and arrange on |
| and character. | | | | one side of the chicken and sprinkle the roasted |
| Make sure that you use a sharp knife when | | | | pine nuts along the cheese. Make sure this is |
| chopping the basil for your pesto. If your knife is | | | | arranged to allow you to roll the chicken with the |
| blunt, the basil will turn a dark shade. It can take | | | | cheese becoming the centre of the roll. Also |
| twenty to thirty minutes to chop all of the | | | | make sure there is enough room at both ends to |
| ingredients for a pesto, so a sharp mezzaluna | | | | allow you to secure it with wooden skewers to |
| (preferably with a large, single blade) is the ideal | | | | prevent the cheese filling from escaping from the |
| knife to use. The ingredients often get stuck in | | | | roll. |
| the double bladed knives, so these can become | | | | 4. Roll the chicken to ensure it is a reasonable |
| frustrating to use. A half-moon shaped pizza | | | | tight roll, securing both ends. If the chicken is too |
| cutter can work a treat as well. | | | | big a piece, cut it into half, it is easy to cook and |
| Genovese pesto is made with small, young basil | | | | less likely to fall apart if the roll is smaller but big |
| leaves - a distinction that has made it famous. It | | | | enough to cut into half (if not thirds). Brush the |
| is possible to find these in the stores, but if you | | | | chicken roll with olive oil generously. |
| grow your own basil that will afford you the | | | | 5. Heat up a pan with some olive oil. When the oil |
| flexibility of choice of basil leaves that may make | | | | is hot enough (but not smoking), place the chicken |
| all the difference to your pesto. | | | | roll with the unseal side down first and turn down |
| Seasoning is very important with your pesto. It is | | | | the flame to medium. Gently pan fried the chicken |
| quite acceptable not to add salt to the pesto, but | | | | rolls about 5 minutes on each side depending on |
| if you are serving it on pasta, then make sure | | | | the thickness of the roll. |
| that you salt the water for your pasta well, or | | | | 6. Pour in chicken stock and cover to simmer for |
| the overall flavour will be lost. You may need to | | | | 10 minutes (make sure that the stock does not |
| slightly adjust your seasoning before serving. | | | | dry up, add hot water if stock looks like drying |
| Pesto tastes best when it is served soon after it | | | | up). |
| is made, though it will last a short time in the | | | | 7. Dish up the chicken roll and remove the |
| fridge. If you are serving your pesto on pasta, | | | | skewers at both ends of the roll. Cut the roll |
| you can add some of the pasta water to thin it | | | | diagonally in half to review the cream, green and |
| for more coverage, but this is not a necessity. | | | | white swirling colour effect of the roll. Drizzle the |
| Just before serving, give the pesto a good stir to | | | | remaining cooking juice from the pan onto the roll. |
| mix the olive oil in with the basil leaves, dress | | | | Server it with either cooked vegetables or salad. |