This secret ingredient makes your pesto even more delicious
Pesto is exactly the kind of simple addition that gives your meal a serious va-va-voom. Stir a splash of pasta cooking water through it and you’ve got a super-easy dinner (try Massimo Bottura’s pasta pesto!), spoon it over a ball of burrata with some summery heirloom tomatoes and you won’t believe how delicious it is, and of course you can spread it on the most delicious Italian sandwiches. But do you know what gives your homemade pesto an unexpectedly great umami kick?
A teaspoon of something from a jar that, in our opinion, is also indispensable in every fridge: miso paste! Made from fermented soybeans, this salty mixture adds depth and a wonderfully layered flavour to an incredible number of dishes. Think of it as a stock cube, only purer and richer. A stock cube for advanced cooks, so to speak. It’s delicious in ramen noodles, in dressing for a salad, or stirred through mashed potatoes. Always start with a small teaspoon, because it’s pretty salty.
Miso happy
The secret of the most delicious pesto FavorFlav’s Sharon has ever eaten was extracted from an Italian chef long ago using special tactics; namely, (part of) that stock cube. So we completely understand that a teaspoon of miso has the same effect, with the added benefit that miso is fermented and therefore also good for your gut flora. Use it instead of, not ‘on top of’, salt in the pesto, and the result will be deliciously savoury and rich. And feel free to vary that pesto! Rocket and cashew, for example; watercress and almond; parsley and hazelnut… all excellent ways to keep those herbs or leafy greens from wilting. Starting with a good basic pesto recipe, you can freestyle to your heart’s content, and give all of them an extra boost with a touch of miso.
The best of both worlds, in any case: this Japanese-Italian marriage is a wonderful addition to our cuisine!
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