Pesto is a wonderful pantry staple for a quick pasta lunch but it can sometimes be a challenge remembering to use the rest of the jar. A study by WRAP found that 14% of sauces are thrown away unfinished with the main reason being that it was not used in time.. Whilst it's not the worst offender for food waste it still means there are several jars of pesto currently languishing in the back of fridges around the UK!
Here are 10 of our favourite ways to ensure your pesto achieves its scopo di vita
1. Make a pizzetta or bruschetta, lovely with a classic mozzarella, sun-dried tomato or white bean on top. Another tasty way to serve it is to top slices of toasted ciabatta with some white asparagus and a twist of black pepper.
2. Drizzle into the middle of a soup. Green pesto is lovely with a spring veg or pea combination.
3. Mixed through polenta, mashed potato or a white bean mash. With polenta it is particularly good.
4. Add to a salad dressing.
5, Add to a tomato sauce to deepen the flavour.
6. We love to use it in the shop spread straight onto bread to make panini or as a dip for crostini. It is lovely with the addition of sundried tomatoes and olives . Mix the pesto with a creamy cheese for a more subtle flavour.
7. Bake it into bread. A recipe can be found here.
8. Spread onto strips of puff pastry, twist or roll to make a savoury. Add feta or salted ricotta cubes. These were made by Rachael's niece.
9. Mix with oil and pour over potatoes when roasting
10. Use as a marinade for chicken or fish.
What are your favourite ways to use your pesto?