Italian
Rocket pesto
A bright, peppery pesto with more bite than the classic basil version, emulsified with olive oil and lifted with lemon.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Level
- Easy
Tips
- Toasting the pine nuts adds a lot of depth to the flavour, don't skip this step.
- Drying the rocket well is essential: moisture dilutes the pesto and speeds up oxidation.
- Work quickly while blending to keep the bright green colour. Pesto oxidises fast in the air.
- In a mortar: the texture is nicer and the flavour rounder, with no risk of heating the blade. In a food processor: use short pulses so the ingredients don't warm up.
- Keeps for 10 days in the fridge and 2 months in the freezer. Always top with a thin layer of olive oil after each use to prevent oxidation.
Method
- Toast the pine nuts: dry-toast them in a pan over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and golden. Let them cool.
- Prepare the rocket: wash it and dry it very thoroughly (salad spinner or clean tea towel). Moisture dilutes the pesto and speeds up oxidation.
- Crush garlic and pine nuts: in a mortar, pound the garlic with the salt to a paste, then add the pine nuts and crush roughly. In a food processor, pulse garlic, salt and pine nuts briefly so the blade doesn't heat up.
- Work in the rocket a handful at a time, pounding and turning the pestle against the sides of the mortar (or pulsing briefly), until you have a homogeneous green paste. Work fast to keep the colour.
- Add the Parmesan and mix it well into the paste.
- Emulsify with the oil: drizzle in the olive oil while stirring, until you reach a silky, coating texture.
- Season and adjust: add the lemon juice, adjust the salt. Taste and add more oil if you want a looser consistency.