#pesto

#pesto

Tasty and effortless, store-bought gnocchi offers a much-needed shortcut for busy weeknight dinners. You can bypass boiling a pot of water for the gnocchi, and instead simply give them a quick sear over high heat, which creates perfectly crispy edges. My cheesy gnocchi with corn and pesto comes together in just 25 minutes and makes a really comforting meal for a busy weeknight.

Guido Porrati had the swagger of a politician, greeting his customers with megawatt charm. "Ciao!" he shouted as he waved goodbye to a nonna who had just left ParlaComeMangi, his artisanal deli in Rapallo, on the Ligurian coast of Italy, with a bag full of groceries. There was much to choose from: local wines, tins of anchovies, farm-fresh eggs, and buffalo mozzarella.

A classic pesto sauce, which typically includes a hearty helping of pine nuts, is now nearly impossible to create in its traditional format. With that said, there are a variety of clever swaps that prove why you shouldn't stick to pine nuts when making pesto. Walnuts make a particularly excellent substitution for pine nuts in a pesto sauce, given their more affordable price point and added nutritional benefits.

Why limit yourself to boring bottled dressings when your pantry holds the secret to converting any sauce, homemade or store-bought, into a delicious salad dressing? Some of the most versatile sauces of the culinary world work double duty as salad dressings; all you need is a dash of oil and acid. The magic of sauce-to-salad dressing conversions lies in their ease.

By roasting chickpeas, you can give them a hint of nuttiness necessary for a stand-in for pine nuts in pesto. Chickpeas provide creaminess and thickness.

Both pistou and pesto rely on superior ingredients and are traditionally made using raw elements to maintain their vibrant colors and flavors. Although some insist on using a mortar and pestle, modern methods are accepted too.

The quality of the nuts makes a big difference - don't sleep on that. Whatever you use, those natural oils they release when blended are what give pesto its body and mouthfeel.

Costco's pesto is unique because it is D.O.P.-certified and produced in Italy, ensuring high quality through local ingredients and traditional production methods.