DIY pesto – to make or to buy?
Is it always worth making your favourites from scratch? Our DIY series puts shop-bought and homemade to the test – this time, pesto
The ultimate standby sauce, pesto can instantly transform a tired pasta pot into a taste sensation and can give chicken dishes and comforting soups a new lease of life. Just a few small spoonfuls can unleash a gargantuan taste, meaning a small amount can go a long way. Always with a sealed jar in the cupboard, I've committed to giving homemade a try. Slightly skeptical it can't possibly be improved upon, I put both to the test.
The cost
Cost of shop-bought classic green pesto:
Supermarket own brand – £1.50 (190g jar)
Cost of ingredients for homemade green pesto:
Ingredients – £4.50 (approx 260g)
The pesto recipe I used:
Classic pesto
The recipe I followed yielded more pesto than I got in the shop-bought jar, but the cost of pricey ingredients such as pine nuts and parmesan meant it wasn't better value to make my own.
Tip:
If you have a bit of garlic and olive oil in your storecupboard and your own basil plants this would bring the cost of the ingredients down to about £2.25. Don't forget to make the most of any leftovers. Scatter a few pine nuts over pasta dishes, grate parmesan over creamy chicken and use basil to garnish your finished plates.
The making:
With just one step between my small huddle of ingredients and my very own pesto sauce, I was still pleasantly surprised as to how easy this was to make. It even reconnected me with my previously underused food processor, though the good old-fashioned pestle and mortar method would have done the trick with a little effort.
Tip:
Some of the comments at the bottom of the recipe really intrigued me – suggestions of using cashews or walnuts instead of pine nuts and adding a bit of spice with some chopped chilli definitely sound like they're worth a try!
The taste:
Before even tasting it, the delightful smell of the homemade pesto was incomparable to shop-bought. I hadn't divulged I was making my own, but everyone recognised a difference in taste, texture and aroma. When I first tried it, the most notable flavour was the garlic, making me wonder if a little more basil and just one clove would provide a more balanced taste. There were no complaints though – homemade was a unanimous hit!
The verdict:
I was so surprised by how easy, quick and delicious the homemade pesto was. All the possibilities for different combinations and substitutions really appeals to me and I will definitely make my own again. Saying that, I can't imagine I'll be a devout pesto maker, the jar in the cupboard still has its place, for convenience and cost if nothing else.
Fancy having a go at making your own? Try the pesto recipe I used, or try a different version with almonds.
What are your top tips for making pesto? Do you prefer making your own or buying it in?
Comments, questions and tips
