* * * Pesto recipe source: http://foodandstyle.com/kale-pesto/ 1. 6 oz (170 g) Tuscan kale (Lacinato kale 2. 1 tablespoon sea salt (to blanch the kale) 3. 12 parsley sprigs – tough stems removed 4. 1/3 cup finely grated Reggiano Parmesan 5. 1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano 6. 1 large garlic clove – skinned and halved 7. 1/4 cup pine nuts 8. 3/4 teaspoon sea salt 9. 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil “ Italian Ingredients list: * * * Tuscan Kale: A winter vegetable that was in used in Tuscany in the 18th century. I decided to use this in place of the usual basil pesto. Extra virgin olive oil: Olives and olive oil are the foundation of Italian cuisine, and olives, according to the article “olive” are the economy and culture of Italy. Originally from Greece, olives were adopted by the romans and in turn adopted by the Italians. Olive oil is …show more content…
I really wanted to make something that emphasised the “freshness” that we see in Italian cuisine. I bought all of my ingredients from the local grocery store: Thrifty Foods. I bought the ingredients the same day I made the recipe, as many Italians do in their own home. I decided to buy as many simple ingredients as possible! However, I wanted to go a bit further. Rather than making the well known basil-pesto sauce, I looked up a recipe for an alternative to the traditional ingredient: Italian/Tuscan kale. I knew that the flavour was going to be different, but the challenge intrigued me – particularly after reading about Italian pizza and how the toppings were different in each region of Italy. Indeed, Italian food in its entirety is made up of modifications, from their use of semolina flour to make polenta, the use of potatoes to make gnocchi.. and more. Italians modify their food to suit their own needs just as the wealthy incorporated the food of the poor into their own diet. I wanted to use ingredients that were all found in Italy – therefore I used Italian/Tuscan