Definition

Noun: 1. A thick, uncooked sauce originating from Genoa, Italy, traditionally made by crushing fresh basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil into a paste. It is most commonly used as a pasta sauce.

Examples of Usage

• As a pasta sauce: "For dinner, we had spaghetti with a simple pesto made from the basil in our garden."
• As a condiment or spread: "The sandwich was delicious, with pesto spread on the ciabatta bread."
• Describing its composition: "Traditional pesto gets its vibrant green color and fresh flavor from basil."

Advanced Usage

• "Pesto alla Genovese": The full, traditional name for classic basil pesto from Genoa.
  • Example: "The most authentic version is Pesto alla Genovese, made with a mortar and pestle."
• As a base for variation: While basil is traditional, the term "pesto" can be applied to sauces made with other herbs, nuts, or cheeses, following a similar preparation method.
  • Example: "We made a delicious sun-dried tomato pesto for the crostini."

Variants and Related Words

• Pistou (noun): A French Provençal sauce similar to pesto but typically made without pine nuts.
• Pesto Genovese (noun): Another term for the classic Genoese basil pesto.

Synonyms

• Sauce
• Paste
• Condiment

Related Phrases

• To toss with pesto: The typical method of combining cooked pasta with the sauce.
  • Example: "Drain the pasta and toss it with pesto immediately."
• Pesto pasta (noun phrase): A common dish name describing pasta served with pesto sauce.

Noun

1. a sauce typically served with pasta; contains crushed basil leaves and garlic and pine nuts and Parmesan cheese in olive oil