Mozzarella with Pesto, Pine Nuts and Fresh Basil
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I'm a huge fan of pizza; I've eaten it in every country I've ever visited, and in some respects consider it my raison d'etre. Since moving to Vancouver, there's been one pizza restaurant that's consistently ranked amongst my favourites, and my personal pizza of choice there is one that uses pesto and pine nuts for the topping. It's simple and slightly unusual, but it works fantastically well.
My inspiration for this creation is that pizza. It's a shameless rip-off of their basic creation, but I like to consider this a blend of inspiration and flattery rather than outright plagiarism.
Pesto, if you didn't know, is already made from basil and pine nuts; these are crushed together with garlic, then blended with parmigiano-reggiano, and fiore sardo and olive oil to form the familiar sauce. I decided to use a pesto that also had a touch of lemon added to it, adding a little bit of sharpness to proceedings, then by adding additional pine nuts and basil into the mix as well, the light buttery flavour and refreshing earthiness that they bring is enhanced even further. Mozzarella, of course, is a traditional pizza topping of it's own. I've chosen it here not just for its background, but also for the light sweet flavour it brings (complementing that of the pine nuts) and its excellent melting capabilities.
It's a combination that works and I'm glad to have satiated my pizza cravings, temporarily at least.
Mozzarella with Pesto, Pine Nuts and Fresh Basil
Serves: 1 Person
Panini pressed calabrese with mozzarella, lemon pesto, pine nuts and fresh basil leaves.
Ingredients
- 2 Slices White Calabrese Loaf
- 60g Mozzarella
- 3 Teaspoons Pesto
- 10g Pine Nuts
- 3 Leaves Fresh Basil
Instructions
- Finely grate all of the mozzarella.
- Place about half of the grated mozzarella onto one slice of bread.
- Spread the pesto on top of the mozzarella.
- Add the pine nuts on top of the pesto.
- Add the remaining mozzarella on top of everything else.
- Add the second slice of bread on top, then place in a panini press until melted to satisfaction.
Notes & Tips
I personally used a lemon based basil pesto, but go with your own preference here. You could also add a touch of lemon directly if you want to add a little sharpness.
