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When I say the word “pesto” to people in America (or anywhere outside Italy), I know they are thinking of pesto alla Genovese, with its lush green color and intense perfume of fresh basil leaves. Indeed, though there are countless fresh sauces that are also termed “pesto” in Italian cuisine, it seems that pasta with basil and pine nut pesto is so well known that it might as well be the national Italian dish!

For the most authentic flavor in a basil pesto, use a sweet, small-leaved Genovese basil for the pesto-perhaps you can find it at a farmers’ market in summer, or grow it yourself. Large basil will be delicious, too. Make extra pesto when basil and parsley are plentiful in the summer, and freeze it in small containers to use through the winter.

Of course, use the best extra-virgin olive oil available, in the pesto and on the pasta, preferably pressed from the marvelous taggiasca olives of Liguria.

Try making one of the delicious recipes below. You’ll notice pesto can indeed be made of anything, and is often made with different kinds of nuts–one of my favorites in the winter is the rich, creamy walnut pesto.

Trenette with Pesto, Genova-Style

This recipe is for a classic, simple, basil pesto.

Anna’s Spaghetti and Pesto Trapanese, as seen on Dr. Oz!
The beauty and delight of this dish is that it is so fresh and clean–and it is a cinch to make. It’s important to make the pesto with the best ingredients then just toss in the hot cooked spaghetti to coat it and enjoy.

Spaghetti with Basil Pistachio Pesto

Everybody is familiar with pesto made with basil and pinoli nuts, but during one of my visits to Sicily, I enjoyed a pleasant pesto surprise: the pinoli were replaced with pistachios. Although Sicily is known for its delicious pistachios, 98 percent of the pistachios eaten in the US come from California. So do try this pesto rendition.

Walnut Pesto

This uncooked dressing, enriched with ricotta and butter, is delicious and quite different from the herb-based pestos I’ve found in other regions. You can blend it together in a bowl while the pasta water is heating up and have a distinctive pasta appetizer or main course in minutes. To retain its vibrant, fresh flavors, it is important not to cook the pesto, just toss it with the pasta and serve.

Basil and Walnut Pesto

This distinctively flavored pesto is a superb dressing for maccheroni alla chitarra, spaghetti, or linguine, and would work on a short dry pasta such as gemelli, lumache, or rigatoni. It’s a great condiment, too: put a spoonful on fish or chicken hot off the grill for a real treat.

Strangozzi with Chard and Almond Sauce

This is a fresh and extremely flavorful preparation for strangozzi. The dressing has two components, tender cooked Swiss chard and an uncooked pesto of fresh basil and mint leaves and toasted almonds. Other leafy greens, such as spinach, chicory, and arugula, could be used, and walnuts could replace the almonds, but the recipe here is true to the region).

Wednesday, February 29th

6:30 – 9:30 pm

Price is $175 per person for menu and wine pairing.
Signed cookbooks are available for purchase at $35.00 each.

For reservations, please call Alexi Caputo at
212.758.1479 Ext. 208 or via email
at alexi@felidia-nyc.com

“The world’s most important exhibition of wines and spirits…Vinitaly is the main reference event in the wine sector.”

Last year, Vinitaly welcomed more than 4 thousand exhibitors over a show area of 95 thousand square metres, with 156 thousand visitors (more than 50,000 international from more than 110 countries). Vinitaly features four days of tastings, meetings, and workshops.

“Ho insegnato a molti, pero ho imparato da tutti.”

“I have taught many, but have learned from everyone.”

Nonna Mima always spoke to me about the importance of listening to people and learning from life experience. – Tanya

Red Bank, NJ

Sunday, April 15th

3:00 pm show, doors open at 2:00 pm

Tickets available February 10th!

Read more about the T.J. Martell Foundation.

Champagne has its place on the table, but for New Year’s Eve I like to drink Prosecco. It’s a dry sparkling white wine made from glera grapes that are grown in the Friuli and Veneto regions of Italy. Its bubbles are produced by the Charmat process (in large steel containers) rather than in each bottle, as they are in Champagne. This allows wineries to produce wines more or less continuously, rather than just once a year. This is great for the wineries, but it also means slightly more economical wines for consumers.

Here are a few tips for finding a bottle you’ll enjoy:

First, look for prosecco labeled “spumante” and not the lower quality “semi-sparkling” frizzante. (The latter only undergoes a partial second fermentation.) Second, understand how sweetness is rated; “Dry” Prosecco generally has the highest sugar content (about 20 to 26 grams per liter), “Extra Dry” contains between 14 to 20 grams of sugar per liter, and “Brut” is the driest, clocking in at 6 to 12 grams of sugar per liter. When Italians make a Spritz (a fun way to spice up your New Year toast) they usually use Extra Dry. Remember, you don’t have to spring for the dusty bottle with an older vintage; most Prosecco is meant to be enjoyed fresh.

Buon Capodanno!

For more from Lidia on New Year’s Eve, visit lidiacelebratesamerica.com.

For more information on Bastianich Wines, visit Bastianich.com.