Pesto after doing a sauce or before?

So I am cooking chorizo+squid pasta/stew and I think a little spoon of red pesto will be great addition to it.

I wonder should I put pesto while it's cooking or when sauce is ready?

pasta spaghetti

Best Answer

Put the pesto in just as the sauce is done and as you're taking it off the heat. Generally, pesto does not benefit at all from cooking. By adding it to the sauce just as it is being pulled from the heat, it's temp will equalize with the sauce, without being cooked.

Are you planning to serve this over pasta? If so, drain the pasta (save some of the pasta water) while the pasta is still quite al-dente. Simmer and stir the pasta in the sauce for a minute or so. If it needs a bit of thinning out, add reserved pasta water. Only when it feels about ready to serve, add the pesto, again just as you remove it all from the heat.

If you are planning on cooking the pasta for a while in the sauce, as in soup, I encourage you to reconsider. I recommend that you make the sauce awesome. When the sauce just seems right, boil your pasta until al-dente (don't forget to salt). Add the pasta to the sauce, slowly, not too much, not too little. Use the reserved pasta water to get just the right consistency. Let it all simmer for a minute or two, let the pasta soak up the flavor. THEN, when it all looks great, add the pesto, stir, turn off the heat, and serve.

Pictures about "Pesto after doing a sauce or before?"

Pesto after doing a sauce or before? - Basil Leaves On Pesto Sauce in Clear Glass Jar

Pesto after doing a sauce or before? - From above of appetizing vegetable and greenery and cheese salad with pesto sauce in pottery with open lid served with flatbread on wooden board

Pesto after doing a sauce or before? - Top view of freshly prepared Italian penne pasta with cheesy sauce served in pans and placed on wooden cutting board near traditional sauces and bruschettas

Should I put pesto on before or after cooking?

The Most Important Rule of Cooking With Pesto: Don't Cook It

Step 1: Boil pasta until al dente.

Step 2: Transfer pasta to a mixing or serving bowl.

Step 3: Add pesto.

Step 4: Add pasta water bit by bit, mixing to bind and emulsify the oil-based sauce.

Step 5: Eat.

Do you add pesto to hot or cold pasta?

You can serve this pasta warm or cold! To serve it cold just store it in the refrigerator until it cools! Should pesto be heated? You should not heat the pesto sauce, because it will change the color, taste and texture of the fresh basil.

How do you use pesto sauce in a jar?

You can eat pesto straight from the jar, but Gremaud prefers to use it to heighten the flavor of pasta dishes, meats or even fresh bread. "I love to use pesto as a topping for many dishes," he explains. "It's very versatile." Creamy pesto pasta is the simplest way to use the condiment to make a meal.

How do you make pesto stick to pasta?

Add pesto and 1/4 cup of pasta water. Toss to coat pasta in pesto, adding more water if required to make pasta silky and saucy, rather than dry and sticky. Taste, add more salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parmesan.

How to Make FRESH BASIL PESTO Like an Italian

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Maurijn Pach, Thiea Alhoz, Valeria Boltneva, Yasser Mohamed