Pesto is not necessarily what you think it is… . Basil? Yes (well at least if you live in northern Italy, in the south it’s more likely yours would be tomato-dominant). Oil? Yes. Garlic? Yes. . Butter?? Yes! Butter has been and still is an ingredient of some pesto. . Cheese? Hmm, maybe, in more recent history. Nuts? Again, perhaps in the post-industrial era. . And pesto’s not always been a pasta-only condiment. Historically, the job of green pesto was a general condiment and it was most often stirred into soup. . I’ll post some more surprising details of what pesto has been and is in my story today (and save in my local food highlight). . Meantime, here’s my traditional pesto. Basil from the garden, olive oil, garlic and salt. I didn’t happen to have any cheese or nuts and I could see my basil was bolting. It’s delicious – I love to eat it on fried eggs. . Do you make pesto? Have you tried without cheese and nuts? Have you found not pasta-ways to allow it to express its deliciousness?! I’d love to hear!