There are lots of things I love about pesto. It’s super easy to make, it has an incredibly vibrant color, it’s very versatile (which I’ll talk about in a moment) and it’s beyond tasty! Pesto is also very good for your body because the basil and garlic are rich in health-promoting antioxidants, and the olive oil and nuts contain healthy fats that reduce the risk of heart disease. Nuts are also a rich source of dietary fiber.

But pesto isn’t exactly low in calories. Olive oil, nuts and cheese are all very calorie-rich foods. The good news is that pesto happens to be so rich with flavor that a little goes a long way.

We adore the classic pesto recipe that originates from Genoa in Italy — fresh basil, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts and grated hard cheese such as Parmesan or pecorino. But we also like to mix things up now and again and vary the herbs and nuts we use. We made this very enjoyable variation the other night. Instead of using pine nuts we used a combination of two of our favorite nuts: almonds and cashews. And instead of using only basil as the herb we used a combination of flat-leaf parsley and basil.

It came out looking just as vibrant as regular pesto, and it had its own subtle but wonderful flavor differences. The texture of the cashews in particular made the pesto slightly more creamy than regular pesto, which we really liked.

There are so many ways you can enjoy this pesto. Tossed through hot pasta, spread on bruschetta, stirred into Mediterranean soups and stews to add flavor and texture, used as a pizza sauce, or served as a dip with vegetable crudités. It also makes a great base for pasta salad.

Here’s the recipe.

The Winners of our Book

Congratulations to Kim, Warren and Kimberley who each won a copy of our book — we hope you enjoy it! And we hope that all of you who received the free recipe e-book are enjoying the new recipes as well. (By the way, we’re keeping open our offer to send the e-book to anyone who has a copy of The MediterrAsian Way, just email us with the first two words on page 81.)

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Looking for some last minute ideas for New Year nibbles? Why not put an Italian twist into your festivities by serving a platter of crostini or “little toasts.” You can use ciabatta or sourdough bread to make crostini, but we prefer bite-size crostini so usually use a long thin baguette.

Hope you enjoy the different selection of toppings — and all the best for the New Year and the new decade!

Crostini Selection

1 large baguette — cut into half- inch slices. Place on a baking tray and brush on both sides with extra virgin olive oil. Bake at 400F/200C for 6 mins.

Topping 1: Smoked Salmon with Mascarpone Cheese and Baby Spinach
In a small bowl mix 3 tablespoons mascarpone cheese with 1 teaspoon finely diced red onion, 6 finely chopped capers, ¼ teaspoon finely chopped lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon salt and a little freshly ground black pepper. Serve crostini with a dollop of the mascarpone topped with a baby spinach leaf and slice of smoked salmon.

Topping 2: Roasted Red Pepper, Feta and Kalamata Olive
Top crostini with crumbled feta, roasted red pepper strips and a halved kalamata olive. Add freshly cracked black pepper to garnish.

Topping 3: White Bean and Sun-dried Tomato Puree with Marinated Artichoke Hearts
In a food processor combine 1 cup canned cannelini beans, ¼ cup sundried tomatoes, ½ clove garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons each extra virgin olive oil and water and process until smooth (makes about 1 cup). Serve a dollop of the bean puree on the crostini topped with a quartered marinated artichoke heart.

Topping 4: Garlic Chili Shrimp
Saute ½ cup cooked baby shrimp in ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil with ½ clove garlic, ¼ teaspoon chili flakes for two minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of finely chopped fresh parsley and 1 teaspoon lemon juice then top crostini with the mixture.

Topping 5: Cherry Tomato, Basil and Parmesan
Place 1 cherry tomato (halved) on each crostini. Top with a fresh basil leaf and shaved Parmesan then drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and garnish with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

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