I’m back from a week in the beach town of Anzio — meek tan and a tumble of freckles in tow — and am dumbfounded to realize that Summer is nearly over. My favorite season has flown particularly fast this year, and my annual melancholy has begun to set in (why can’t every season be sunny and beachy?!) The antidote: trying to catch up with as much seasonal cooking and baking as I can, now that I’m back in my kitchen. Expect a recipe for a late summer dessert next week, but first: PESTO.

Pesto is synonymous with summer, a quick, easy, sauce that requires no cooking and makes excellent use of summer basil. The word pesto comes from the Italian verb pestare, to crush, referring to the traditional way of making pesto by combining the ingredients with a mortar and pestle. Having said this — in the same way that pasta machines have come to replace rolling pins, food processors — which save you both time and elbow grease — have replaced the mortar and pestle in many a kitchen. I myself fall into the F.P camp.

I’m always eager to try new pesto recipes — it seems I’ve posted one every summer since starting the blog, actually — and was intrigued by a pesto bianco, or a white pesto, that I stumbled across while browsing the stupendous blog Domenica Cooks. Hailing from the Liguria region of Italy, it veers significantly off the beaten path of traditional basil pesto, with ricotta taking center stage and basil making only a cameo appearance. Garlic makes the cut, but the usual Parmesan cheese sits this one out; more wallet-friendly walnuts are swapped in for the classic pinenuts, and the quantity of olive oil used is minimal. The result is a rich, creamy pesto that — as pointed out by my sister — is reminiscent of mac ‘n cheese, a surprising result given it requires only a few simple ingredients. The secret? A splash or two of starchy pasta water, when beaten together with ricotta, gives way to a rich, smooth sauce that tastes incredibly lavish (quite a feat, given that ricotta is among the less luxurious cheeses). There are undertones of spicy, buttery, and summer-y — garlic, walnuts, and basil, respectively — and a good dose of black pepper makes this pesto pop. It also can be whipped up in the time it takes to boil the water for the pasta. Late summer dinner, served.

I’m a big fan of ricotta, an ingredient that I will always and forever associate with my beloved Nonno. You can read more about him and Supreme Dairy Farms here. If ricotta isn’t your thing, though, don’t worry — I have 7 other pesto recipes for you, below!

A couple of notes: I didn’t have any marjoram on hand (Domenica’s recipe calls for this) so I made this pesto without, and it was still delicious. Feel free to add a sprig or two if you have it on hand. I also used black pepper instead of white pepper, and cut down on the garlic. Domenica provides instructions using a mortar and pestle here, but I used a food processor, just because its easier. This pesto would also be great on crostini. Any leftover pesto can be covered and stored in the fridge for a day or two. Finally, use whatever pasta shape you would like here, but know that a shorter cut is probably best.

Looking for other recipe compilations? Click here!
Looking for more ricotta-centric recipes? Click here!

For more pesto recipes, see below, in order:
Almond, basil, lemon pesto (dairy free); classic pesto al genovese, or basil pesto; pesto al pistacchio; pesto alla siciliana, made with tomatoes and ricotta; sundried tomato pesto; walnut and tomato pesto; pesto alla trapanese; pesto bianco, recipe below.

PASTA AL PESTO BIANCO

Serves 4. Recipe barely adapted from the talented Domenica Marchetti of Domenica Cooks.

Ingredients:
1 lb (500 grams) pasta of your choosing
1/4 cup (28g) walnut halves
1/2 clove of garlic (or a full clove, if you like garlic)
6 large basil leaves, torn up
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (170 grams) well-drained whole milk ricotta
Salt and pepper, as needed

Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit (176° Celsius). Spread the walnuts on a small baking sheet and bake for 5 or so minutes (keep an eye on them, they burn quickly) or until they are fragrant and slightly darker. Let them sit until cool enough to handle, then rub off as much of the thin skins as possible using a clean kitchen towel.

2. Add the walnuts to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until roughly ground. Add the garlic, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper and process or blend again. Add the ricotta and blend until it is well combined with the other ingredients. Transfer your resulting pesto bianco to a bowl and whisk until the pesto is fluffy and smooth. Taste for salt — you might need to add another pinch or two (I ended up using total just shy of 1/2 teaspoon).

3. Cook a pasta of your choosing according to package directions. Reserve a 1/2 cup or so of pasta water, and then drain your pasta. Add the pesto to the hot pasta and stir to combine, adding pasta water by the tablespoon-ful, stirring vigorously, to ensure that the pesto is nice and smooth. Serve immediately.