Creamy Basil Pesto Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes

Creamy Basil Pesto Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes

✨️A Bowl of Comfort with Italian Flavours🍜

The beauty of pesto lies in its freshness. Fragrant basil leaves, garlic, nuts, olive oil, and cheese come together to create a sauce that is vibrant, aromatic, and full of character. When tossed with pasta and sweet cherry tomatoes, it transforms into a comforting meal that feels both rustic and elegant.

Pesto traces its roots to the region of Liguria in northern Italy, particularly the city of Genoa, where traditional pesto alla Genovese has been prepared for centuries using fresh basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, olive oil, and salt. Over time, this beloved sauce travelled across the world and inspired countless variations.

Today, I am sharing my creamy version of Basil Pesto Pasta. The addition of cream creates a silky sauce that gently coats every strand of pasta while allowing the fresh basil flavours to shine through. Sweet cherry tomatoes add bursts of freshness and colour, making this a beautiful meal that is perfect for busy weeknights as well as special occasions.

This pasta comes together quickly and makes a satisfying lunch or dinner that the whole family will enjoy.

Preparation Time

15 minutes

Cooking Time

20 minutes

Serves

4

Ingredients

For the Pasta

Pasta (Penne, Fusilli, Farfalle or Spaghetti) – 250 grams

Water – 2 litres

Salt – 1 tablespoon

Olive Oil – 1 tablespoon

For the Creamy Pesto Sauce

Fresh Basil Leaves – 2 packed cups

Garlic – 3 cloves

Pine Nuts – ¼ cup

Parmesan Cheese (grated) – ½ cup

Extra Virgin Olive Oil – ⅓ cup

Fresh Cream – ½ cup

Milk – ¼ cup

Black Pepper Powder – ½ teaspoon

Salt – to taste

For the Pasta

Olive Oil – 1 tablespoon

Cherry Tomatoes – 1 cup, halved

Fresh Basil Leaves – a handful

Parmesan Cheese – for garnish

Chilli Flakes – optional

Method

Bring water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add salt and olive oil. 

Add the pasta and cook until "al dente" according to the package instructions.

Drain the pasta and reserve about one cup of the pasta cooking water.

Meanwhile, prepare the pesto. Place the basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and olive oil into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

Transfer the pesto into a bowl and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large pan. Add the cherry tomatoes and sauté gently for about two to three minutes until they begin to soften but still retain their shape.

Reduce the heat and add the prepared pesto. Stir gently.

Add the cream and milk. Mix well until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.

Season with black pepper and salt if required. *Remember that the Parmesan already contains salt.

Add the cooked pasta and toss gently until every piece is coated with the creamy pesto sauce.

If the sauce appears too thick, add a little reserved pasta water and mix well.

Add a few torn basil leaves and toss once more.

Serve immediately garnished with Parmesan cheese, fresh basil leaves and a sprinkle of chilli flakes if desired.

Variations

• You can replace pine nuts with cashew nuts or walnuts.

• For a vegetarian version, use vegetarian Parmesan or omit the cheese altogether.

• You can add mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, spinach, sweet corn or roasted bell peppers.

• For added protein, you may add tofu cubes or paneer cubes.

• For a lighter version, replace part of the cream with milk.

• You can use whole wheat pasta for a healthier option.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with garlic bread, focaccia, toasted baguette slices or a fresh garden salad.

A bowl of warm soup alongside this pasta makes for a complete and comforting meal.

Sukanya's Musings🤓

There is something magical about the aroma of fresh basil. The moment the pesto is blended, the entire kitchen fills with its fragrance. Combined with sweet cherry tomatoes and silky cream, this pasta becomes one of those dishes that feels indulgent without being complicated.

Whether enjoyed on a quiet weeknight or served to guests, this Creamy Basil Pesto Pasta brings together freshness, comfort, and elegance in every forkful.

#CreamyPestoPasta #BasilPesto #VegetarianPasta #ItalianInspired #CherryTomatoes #PastaRecipe #SukanyasMusings #ComfortFood #HomemadePasta #EasyRecipes 🍝🌿🍅

BREAD PIZZA

BREAD PIZZA

When you want to eat a Pizza, but don’t want to go through all the elaborate steps, you can satiate your cravings with Bread Pizza.

Bread Pizza is a quick and easy snack that you can rustle up on those lazy days, when you don’t want to cook anything, but yet, please everyone. It’s a complete visual treat, with the array of colors. You can involve the kids in the assembly process and make it a family activity.

The texture of the toast is crunchy with the soft richness of the cooked cheese and the yummy vegetables. Kids would love this in their Lunch Box.

Bread Pizza can be made in the Conventional Oven or even cooked on a stove top.

Enjoy this as a Snack or a Party Starter

Ingredients

Bread – A loaf or as per requirement

Pizza Sauce – As required

Yellow Capsicum (Bell peppers) – ½ cup diced

Green Capsicum (Bell peppers) – ½ cup diced

Red Capsicum (Bell peppers) – ½ cup diced

Tomatoes – 1 diced (Optional)

Onion – 1 diced

Artichokes – 2 tbsps (Optional)

Black Olives – ½ cup (Optional)

Pineapples – ½ cup (Optional)

Red Chilly flakes

Italian seasoning

Coarse Pepper Powder

Cheese – Can Use Mozzarella Cheese/ Cheddar Cheese/ Feta Cheese

Butter

Method

Conventional Oven Method (Most preferred)

Pre-heat the oven to 200 C or 400 F

Apply butter on one side of the bread (Optional), I prefer it like that as I feel the bread gets a good crunch. Place the butter smeared bread slices on a baking tray and grill them for 2 -3 minutes. Butter actually quickens the toasting process.

Remove them from the oven and place them for your toppings.

First spread a spoonful of Pizza Sauce over the lightly toasted bread, then add the toppings of your choice.

I have added green, red and yellow bell pepper’s(Capsicum), Artichokes, Black Olives, Diced Pineapples.

I take the toppings in a big bowl, add a dash of Himalayan Pink Salt, some coarse black pepper, red chili flakes and give it a good toss. After which I added them to the bread as Toppings

I did not add Onions and Tomatoes as my kids didn’t want them in the toppings.

Grate the cheese on top of the vegetables. After adding this sprinkle, some Italian seasoning, some red chilly flakes if you like a dash of spice, can avoid for kids and some Pepper. Since I already tossed them into the vegetables, you can avoid it.

Keep the Tray in the oven and Bake for another 5-8 minutes at 200-220C or until the veggies get grilled partially and the cheese melts and turns golden. Serve the Bread Pizza hot. Bite into this crunchy delight.

Stove Top Method

Toast the bread on one side. Keep on a board.

Add the Pizza sauce, toppings of your choice and grated cheese on the toasted side of the bread. Smear a little butter on the Open pan (Tawa) and on a very low flame.

Lay the toasts on the Tawa and cover the pan, it will get cooked until the cheese melts,

Keep the untoasted piece of the bread face up.

Variations

·       My kids don’t like Tomato as they feel it gets gooey when baked, so my recipe doesn’t have tomato. You can add diced Tomatoes.  

·       You can add Spinach to this recipe, if your kids like.

Tips

·       I take the toppings in a big bowl, add a dash of Himalayan Pink Salt, some coarse black pepper, chili flakes and give it a good toss. After which I added them to the bread as Toppings. If doing this, don’t toss and keep as it will get soggy. Do it just before you make a batch and immediately add the toppings.

·       I have not added the measurements for the spices as it can be as per your choice

·       If you don’t have Pizza sauce, you can just use the tomato sauce available at home.

VEGETARIAN RISOTTO WITH TOMATOES AND CHEESE

VEGETARIAN RISOTTO WITH TOMATOES AND CHEESE

It’s vacation time here in Singapore and the kids are at home demanding for interesting food. So I decided to make this Italian dish for them which is rich in proteins, calcium and carbohydrates essential for kids.

Risotto is an Italian dish and I recently had this at an Italian joint here in Singapore and kind of liked it a lot. I felt it tasted very much like our Rice Khichdi / Pongal. They usually make this with Arborio rice which is a special kind of Italian short grained rice, this rice is named after the town of Arborio, in the Po Valley, where it is grown. When cooked, the rounded grains are firm, creamy, and chewy, due to its higher amylopectin starch content thus it has a starchy taste but blends well with other flavours. It is used to make risotto. But in my recipe I used normal Indian short grained rice. I also used fresh tomatoes and cheese to make it interesting for my kids.

Ingredients

Arborio rice – 1 cup

Onion – 1

Tomatoes – 2 ripe ones

Garlic – 2 cloves (optional)

Olive oil – 2 tbsps

Italian seasoning – 1 -2 tsps

Salt as per taste

Pepper – 2 pinches or as per taste

Fresh basil – ¼ cup

Fresh parsley – 2 tsp

Parmesan cheese – 3 heaped tablespoons

Method

In a wok, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, don’t allow it to fume. When it’s mildly hot, add in the garlic and the finely chopped onion and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes. Once the onions are transparent, add in the finely chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are squashy and soft. Add the risotto rice and cook, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Allow to cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until rice just starts to brown.

At this point add 1 cup of water and stir well to combine. Add a dash of salt and pepper. When most of the liquid has been absorbed, add one more cup of water, add in the   finely chopped fresh basil and parsley and stir well.

As the water gets absorbed into the rice, continue to add water one cup at a time, stirring frequently, until the rice is cooked. After this I lay this cooked Risotto in a glass bowl and

Sprinkled it with some parmesan cheese and some Italian seasoning (Italian seasoning is a dried mix of popular Italian herbs, this is easily available in the markets) and  put it in the microwave on a high until the cheese melted and became golden brown. After this I cut the Risotto like a cake and served it to my kids. The kids enjoyed it and asked for more helpings.

SPAGHETTI & VEGETARIAN MEATBALLS

SPAGHETTI & VEGETARIAN MEATBALLS

Spaghetti is served with meatballs in many Italian restaurants and is considered a great combo and there are kids meals with spaghetti and meatballs in the menu.

An emblem of Italian cuisine, spaghetti is frequently served with tomato sauce, which may contain various herbs (especially oregano, and basil), olive oil, meat, or vegetables. Other spaghetti preparations include using Bolognese sauce, alfredo and carbonara. Grated hard cheeses, such as Pecorino Romano, Parmesan, and Asiago cheese, are often added. But since we are vegetarians and the strictest to the order, talking about meatballs would be something I think most readers to my blog would raise an eyebrow for, but the meatballs here are purely vegetarian, made of soya which is not only highly nutririous but also has high protein content

Ingredients

Soya chunks -2 cups

Onion - 1 (medium)

Tandoori Masala Powder – 1 tbsp

Red chili powder -1 tsp

Coriander powder -1 tsp

Cumin powder -1 tsp

Garam masala -1 tsp

Ginger paste - 1 tsp

Salt as per taste

Corainder leaves for garnish

Lemon - 1

Oil

Method

Boil soya chunks for about 5 minutes with salt. Drain by passing through a colander. Rinse in cold water and then squeeze the soya chunks to remove the water. Take a big bowl. Add the soya chunks, then add Tandoori masala powder (you can make it fresh, click on the link recipe in my blog)

Aerial view of the spaghetti & meatballs platter

or you can buy it from the market (It is available in India stores) & salt. Squeeze one lemon and mix well. The soya chunks must get completely coated. Allow to marinate for about half an hour to one hour. You can even marinate it overnight in the refrigerator. The longer it marinates the tastier it gets. You can set it for marinating one day earlier or keep some marinated balls in a ziplock bag and place it in the freezer and as and when you want you can fry some. After marinating…the next step is, in a wok take some oil and deep fry the soya chunks as shown in the picture. It should be a nice reddish-golden color. (The tandoori masala powder imparts the color to the soya balls). Remove and set on Kitchen towel to drain excess oil. Once all the soya chunks are deep fried, get ready to serve your spaghetti with soyaballs meal. 

Place the amount of spaghetti you want on the plate, Place some soya balls on the side. And top it all up with some homemade Pasta Sauce.(I will give you the recipe later) You can also serve with grated Parmigiano or Pecorino Romano on the side and a sprig of parsley or coriander leaf(whichever is easily available). Dunk into a wonderful meal which can be prepared in less than 15 minutes(without including the marinating time for the soyaballs). 

AGLIO OLIO SPAGHETTI

AGLIO OLIO SPAGHETTI

Aglio Oilio is a family favorite dish. I can tell you frankly that I got introduced to western food thanks to me being in Singapore and since we can’t be choosy about eating Indian vegetarian food. I learnt to eat some western food, which are not only healthy but absolutely delicious. One of this is Aglio Olio Spaghetti. When ever I go to this famous casual dining joint called Pastamania which is near my house. I order for this dish, they have choices in normal spaghetti & wholemeal. I always choose the wholemeal one which is a healthier choice. I learnt too cook this at home and now I don’t need to eat out. As it is very easy to cook this and is ready in a jiffy and all enjoy this at home.

Aglio e Olio actually means garlic and oil. This is a traditional Italian pasta dish that can be made cheaply without seasonal or store-bought ingredients. It is said to originate traditionally from the region of Abruzzo, although it is popular across the country.

Usually served with spaghetti, the sauce is made by lightly sautéeing minced or pressed garlic in olive oil, sometimes with the addition of dried red chilli flakes. Finely chopped parsley can be added as a garnish, along with parmesan cheese.

It takes about 20 minutes from start to end and is a favorite dinner or weekend choice at our home, when Iam too tired to cook.

Ingredients

Spaghetti – 1 packet (usually 500 gms)

Garlic -1-2 cloves of garlic, minced, you can add more as per your taste.

Crumbled dried red chilli pepper – ½ tsp, you get this in the store. Don’t use red chilly flakes. If you like it spicy you can add more chilly. If you don’t get it you can use fresh red chillies too.

Extra virgin Olive oil – 2 tablespoons

Salt as per taste

Grated Parmigiano or Pecorino Romano (optional)

Method

In this recipe I have used Linguine (also spelled 'Linguini') spaghetti made from Durum wheat.

Linguine spaghetti(Image courtesy-Wikipedia)

Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling water. The water should be enough that the spaghetti can immerse completely. Once the water starts to boil add salt  as per taste and after a minute or so add the spaghetti. Never cut or break the spaghetti, spaghetti is to be eaten long and they used to make very long spaghetti in olden times. After 10 to 15 minutes (the timing is based on the thickness of the spaghetti and many a times you will find it on the packaging as to the ideal boiling time.
After this drain the water from the spaghetti by using a colander (a vessel with holes known as scolapasta in Italian). Mind you the water is hot and the spaghetti too. So use a mitten and keep your face far when you are draining to avoid the steam gushing to your face. The spaghetti is usually cooked “al dente” (Italian for to the tooth), soft but with texture, sometimes even with bite in the center. However, spaghetti is sometimes cooked to a much softer consistency, especially when you make it for children.

Different varieties of spaghetti take different time to cook. Spaghettoni/Fusilli are thicker spaghetti varieties which takes more time to cook. Spaghettini and vermicelli are very thin spaghettis (both of which may be called angel hair spaghetti in English) which take less time to cook.

Meanwhile, in a wok, add the oil and when it is warm (olive oil comes to smoking point very soon, so don’t leave it on the gas unattended), add the garlic and crumbled red pepper, and sauté them in the oil until the garlic begins to brown. Turn off the heat (the garlic will continue to brown; you don't want it to over brown and become bitter). Now add the cooked spaghetti. If you feel the salt is less you can add salt at this point also.. Toss well till the garlic and chilli flavored oil coats the spaghetti for about 5 mins and serve hot garnished with parsley or coriander leaves whichever is available.

OATMEAL COOKIES IN A JIFFY (NO-BAKE COOKIES)

OATMEAL COOKIES IN A JIFFY (NO-BAKE COOKIES)

Christmas is round the corner and its but natural for one to get into the mood of cookies and cakes, but since I don’t have a conventional oven to bake my goodies in, I have to search for other options and yet fulfill my desire of baking those perfect cookies for my little ones. I wanted to bake something nutritious and tasty at the same time. I had a big bottle of peanut butter waiting for me in the refrigerator, so I thought why not make good use of it. Since I am off eggs, here is a nutritious eggless cookie which doesn’t need baking, just blend the ingredients together, so you can involve your little ones in this project too.

Ingredients

Quick cooking oatmeal – 3 cups

Coconut or peanut butter - 1 cup

Cocoa – 1/2 cup

Sugar - 2 cups
Milk – 3/4 cup

Butter - 1/4 lb/ 450 gms/ 1 stick

Method

In a bowl mix oatmeal and/or coconut and/or peanut butter. You can use both coconut and peanut butter or one of the two ingredients. If you are using both then use half cup coconut and half cup peanut butter. Now I had the chunky version of peanut butter at home, this actually enhanced the flavor of the cookies as it gave that nutty crunch to it. Once you mix these ingredients keep it aside.

Cut the butter into pieces.

In 2-quart casserole, combine sugar and cocoa. Stir in milk, then add butter, cut into pieces. Cook on high for 3 minutes, uncovered, or until boiling. Stir, then cook 3 minutes on high, stirring every minute. Add oatmeal and coconut (or peanut butter or enough of both to measure 1 cup). Cook on high for a minute. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper to harden. If you 're in a hurry, they may need to be refrigerated to harden.

I would like to send my cookies to,

Purva's Christmas Feast Event,

Happy Cooks Home Made Gift Event,

Sharmi's Cookie Baking Event,

Susan's Eat Christmas Cookie Event,

JZ's Santas Holiday Challenege Event.

WISH ONE AND ALL A HAPPY CHRISTMAS

TUTTI FRUITY CAKE (EGGLESS)

I am packing some of my birthday cake for Hima who is hosting a Sunday Snacks Event on her blog with the theme “Bake It”

TUTTI FRUITY CAKE (EGGLESS)

September 6^th was my birthday and since we have turned partial vegans recently and would like to avoid eggs, I thought why not bake an eggless cake at home. Iam not too fond of chocolate cakes so I thought I will bake a vanilla cake but I wanted it to be rich, I didn’t want nuts also….heck, why not its my birthday cake and I will add in the ingredients I like whether or not traditionally it is part of the recipe or not. I guess I must be part of the Daring Bakers. The best part is I don’t even have a conventional oven used for baking. I do all my baking in the microwave oven. I truly am a daring baker aren’t I? But the cake turned out to be a dream. Just perfect….ofcourse as everyone knows you wont get the brown crust when you bake a cake in the microwave oven. Here’s a picture of my spongy, soft rich Tutti Fruity Cake. I decided to name it so because I have added Tutti Fruity the red, orange and green raisin like things that you see in the fruit cakes available in the market. I love these, they add a wonderful array of colors to the cake. I have decided Iam going to call this Tutti Fruity Cake. Here is an Original recipe.

Ingredients
Self raising flour- 1 ½ cup

Tutti Fruiti – 2 tbsps
Ripe Bananas- 2 Mashed
Butter-1tbsp
Granulated sugar-1/2cup
Oil- 1/2 cup
Milk- 1/2 cup

Vanilla Powder – 1 tsp or Vanilla Essence – 1 tsp

Baking powder – 1 tsp
Little Maragarine or Butter for greasing the glass container
Method
In a bowl, mix together sugar and butter till it is creamy. Add in the Tutti Fruiti and 2 mashed bananas, mix well, Add oil and milk and mix well. Add the Baking powder, Vanilla powder or essence and the self raising flour

Mix well. Ensure that there are no lumps. It should be a uniform mixture. It will become like a batter. Remember use the same bowl or cup for all the measurements else the recipe won’t work. Don’t mix the cake batter too much else the cake will become hard, just a light mix till it comes to the batter consistency is okay.

Now take a round/ square/ oval glass container in which you can bake the cake. Grease this container well. Pour the batter into this container and keep on medium-high in the microwave for 10-12 minutes. Put a knife into the cake and check….If the knife comes out clean, the cake is done, but if it comes out sticky you need to cook it for some more time. Once the cake is done. Remove it from the microwave oven and allow it to cool and then cut it into pieces and serve.

Homemade Basil Pesto Recipe | The Culinary Story of Italy's Famous Green Sauce

Homemade Basil Pesto

There are some recipes that instantly transport you to another part of the world, and Basil Pesto is certainly one of them.

Made with fresh basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, cheese, and extra virgin olive oil, pesto is one of the simplest yet most flavourful sauces ever created. A spoonful of freshly made pesto can transform an ordinary bowl of pasta, a slice of toasted bread, or even a simple vegetable dish into something truly special.

The first time I made pesto at home, I was amazed at how a handful of humble ingredients could create such a vibrant burst of flavour. The fragrance of freshly crushed basil filling the kitchen was reason enough to make it again and again.

What I particularly love about pesto is that it reminds me so much of our Indian chutneys. Across cultures and continents, people have always relied on fresh herbs, nuts, oils, and simple ingredients to create flavourful accompaniments that elevate everyday meals.

Today I am sharing my homemade Basil Pesto recipe, a versatile sauce that can be used in countless ways and one that deserves a place in every home cook's repertoire.

The Culinary Story of Italy's Most Famous Green Sauce

Imagine yourself standing on the rugged coastline of Liguria, a crescent-shaped region in northwestern Italy where colourful villages cling to steep cliffs overlooking the sparkling Mediterranean Sea.

The air is fragrant with the scent of basil growing in small kitchen gardens. Olive groves stretch across the hillsides. Fishing boats bob gently in the harbour while families prepare meals using ingredients gathered from the surrounding countryside.

It was here, centuries ago, that one of Italy's most beloved sauces was born.

Long before electric blenders and food processors existed, Italian grandmothers stood patiently over heavy marble mortars, rhythmically crushing fresh basil leaves with wooden pestles. Into the mortar went garlic, pine nuts, coarse salt, cheese, and golden olive oil. Slowly, the ingredients transformed into a vibrant green paste bursting with aroma and flavour.

The name pesto itself comes from the Italian word pestare, meaning "to pound" or "to crush" — a tribute to the traditional method by which the sauce was prepared.

Yet the story of pesto may begin even earlier.

Food historians believe its roots stretch back to ancient Rome, where a rustic herb and garlic paste known as moretum was prepared by farmers using simple ingredients pounded together by hand. While basil was not part of that ancient recipe, the idea of transforming humble ingredients into a flavourful paste laid the foundation for what would eventually become pesto.

Over time, the fertile lands of Liguria proved perfect for cultivating sweet, fragrant basil. The local variety, known today as Genovese basil, became the star ingredient of the sauce. Combined with the region's olive oil, pine nuts, and hard cheeses, it created a preparation that captured the very essence of Ligurian cuisine.

What began as a humble village sauce soon travelled beyond the shores of Italy.

As Italian families migrated across Europe, the Americas, and eventually the rest of the world, they carried their treasured recipes with them. Pesto journeyed from small coastal kitchens to bustling cities, fine dining restaurants, and family homes across the globe.

Today, countless variations exist. Some use walnuts, almonds, pistachios, spinach, kale, coriander, or even sun-dried tomatoes. Yet the classic Pesto alla Genovese remains the gold standard, a simple green sauce that continues to tell the story of the land, climate, and people who created it.

Whenever I make pesto, I cannot help but think of our own Indian chutneys. Across continents and cultures, people have always discovered the same truth, that a few fresh ingredients, lovingly ground together, can create something far greater than the sum of their parts.

Perhaps that is why pesto has endured for centuries.

It is not merely a sauce.

It is a culinary story preserved in every spoonful.

Long before food processors hummed in modern kitchens, Ligurian grandmothers stood over heavy marble mortars, patiently crushing fragrant basil leaves with wooden pestles. The rhythmic grinding released the herb's essential oils, filling the kitchen with an aroma that spoke of Mediterranean sunshine, olive groves, and generations of culinary tradition.

Traditionally, pesto was not blended at all. It was made by hand using a large marble mortar (mortaio) and a wooden pestle (pestello) in the region of Liguria, especially around Genoa.

Traditional Method

The ingredients were added in a particular order:

Coarse sea salt and garlic were crushed first.

Fresh basil leaves were added gradually and gently pounded into a paste.

Pine nuts were incorporated.

Grated cheeses (typically Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano) were mixed in.

Extra virgin olive oil was stirred in slowly until a smooth sauce formed.

The key was crushing and grinding, not chopping. The motion was often circular, pressing the basil against the rough marble surface. This released the basil's aromatic oils without generating heat.

Why Marble and Wood?

Marble mortar remains cool and does not react with acidic ingredients.

Its slightly rough surface helps tear and crush the basil effectively.

Wooden pestles are gentler on delicate basil leaves than stone pestles and help preserve the bright green colour and fragrance.

Many Italians still argue that authentic pesto can only be made this way because electric blenders:

Heat the basil.

Oxidise the leaves more quickly.

Can produce a darker colour and slightly different flavour.

A Little Culinary Detail

Traditional Ligurian cooks often say that basil should be "crushed, not cut." The resulting pesto is usually a little more textured and aromatic than the smooth, bright-green versions commonly made in modern food processors.

Why I Love Pesto

Pesto is one of the most versatile sauces you can keep in your refrigerator.

It can be tossed with pasta, spread on toasted baguettes, stirred into soups, drizzled over roasted vegetables, served with boiled potatoes, used as a sandwich spread, or simply enjoyed as a dip.

One important rule when working with pesto is that it should not be cooked for long periods. Excessive heat can cause basil to lose its fresh aroma and develop bitterness. This is why pesto is usually stirred into hot pasta just before serving.

Ingredients

Fresh Basil Leaves

1 large bunch, leaves only

Garlic

3 medium cloves

Pine Nuts

1 small handful

Parmesan or Romano Cheese

¾ cup, freshly grated

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

A few tablespoons

Salt

As required

Method

Pick the basil leaves carefully, using only the leaves and discarding the stems. Wash thoroughly and spread on a clean kitchen towel or paper towel to dry completely.

Traditionally, pesto is prepared using a mortar and pestle. While this method requires more effort, it produces a wonderfully aromatic sauce with excellent texture.

For convenience, I used a food chopper. A chopper allows you to control the texture better than a blender, which can sometimes turn the mixture into an overly smooth paste.

First chop the garlic until fine.

Add the pine nuts and pulse until they are broken down into small pieces.

Next add the basil leaves and continue chopping until the mixture is evenly combined.

Add the freshly grated cheese and pulse again until everything is well incorporated.

Taste and adjust the salt if necessary. Remember that Parmesan and Romano cheeses already contain salt.

Transfer the pesto to a clean glass jar and pour a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over the top. This helps preserve freshness and prevents discoloration.

Your homemade pesto is now ready.

I also did a small batch in a marble mortar with a wooden pestle, the taste was different, everything came together so beautifully since we could manage the process. 

You can try both methods. But please don't use a blender🙏🏻

Store refrigerated and stir gently before use. Properly stored pesto keeps well for about one week in the refrigerator.

Freezing Tips

Pesto freezes beautifully.

If planning to freeze, it is best to omit the cheese and add it only after thawing.

Spoon the pesto into ice cube trays, freeze until firm, then transfer the cubes to freezer bags.

Whenever required, thaw a cube and mix in freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese before serving.

Variations

• You can replace pine nuts with walnuts, almonds, cashew nuts, or pistachios.
• You may use Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, or a combination of both.
• For a vegetarian version, use vegetarian hard cheese.
• You can add a little lemon juice for extra brightness.
• For a creamier pesto sauce, stir in a little fresh cream before tossing with pasta.

Serving Suggestions

• Pesto is commonly used on pasta, lasagna, strozzapreti or trenette (forms of pasta). 

• It is sometime used in minestrone as well.

•  Pesto tastes good when served on tomatoes and sliced boiled potatoes. 

• It can also be served as a dip for chips also.   
• It can be served, spread on a baguette (French loaf)

Sukanya's Musings

A handful of basil leaves may not seem like much, but once crushed together with garlic, nuts, olive oil, and cheese, they transform into something truly magical.

Pesto is a beautiful reminder that some of the finest dishes in the world are created not from luxury ingredients, but from simple ingredients treated with care and respect.

Every spoonful carries the fragrance of basil fields, olive groves, and generations of culinary tradition, making this humble green sauce one of Italy's most enduring gifts to the world.

Sharing My Joy 🌸

This recipe of mine goes to Srivalli's blog who is hosting the Weekend Herb Blogging event which was started by Kalyn and the herb Iam using in this recipe is " Basil

You can read more about the Benefits of the herb Basil in my blog(Click on the link)

#BasilPesto #HomemadePesto #ItalianCuisine #CulinaryStory #BasilRecipes #PestoAllaGenovese #VegetarianRecipes #SukanyasMusings 🌿🇮🇹🍃🍝

TIRANGA CAKE & INDEPENDANCE DAY

I would like to send this post to Pooja's Theme-Independence day 2008" event,

INDEPENDENCE DAY
15th August is India's Independence Day. It is celebrated to commemorate its independence from the British rule and its birth as a sovereign nation on that day in 1947.

These are the days that we miss our Motherland the most.

The National Anthem has special memories for me coz I was the person who used to sing the National Anthem everyday in my school right from Class 6 to Class 10 and here I am living in Singapore.

My hubby Yo's grandfather was very active in the freedom struggle and even went to jail with Veer Savarkar(one of the prominent Freedom fighters).

I strongly believe that, "Living abroad can’t change the love that one has in their heart for their motherland".

RESPECT OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM

Last year during Independence Day, a video was aired repeatedly, This video was made with the idea that people must respect Our National Anthem and it sure has managed to strike a chord. It used to make me cry every time that they played it.

You can watch this video here;

TIRANGA CAKE

Here is an attempt to show our National Flag on an Eggless Cake, you can click on this link for the recipe in my blog
The only change here is I have tried making an icing for the cake
For the Icing
Ingredients
Powdered Sugar – ½ cup
Vanilla Powder – 1 tsp
Milk 3-4 tbsp
Food colors – Orange and Green
Method
Mix the powdered sugar and vanilla powder and add milk little by little till you get a thick paste. this icing shouldn't be very thick, u should be able to apply with spatula. Now divide into 3 portions, you can mix the colors and apply on the cake, the top line is Orange, plain icing for the middle one in white and the bottom line is Green. Now keep it in the fridge for few hours and then apply second coat which is a smooth and final coat.
Now my little one was so excited about the cake that she wasn’t patient for me to apply the smooth and final coat and so the icing is not enough and doesn’t look professional, so please pardon my imperfection
I also used a Monaco biscuit and drew the lines with a blue marker depicting the Dharma Chakra.
Pooja’s event also says;“Create anything having combination of 3 colors. i.e. you can just catch a picture of array of vegetables/birds/flowers / anything having these 3 colors.”
So here is a picture of the beautiful flower Anthurium growing in my little balcony garden.

Gift of nature just in time for independence day as the Leaf like bract called the “Spathe” is dark orange in color. The fleshy spike called the "Spadix" where the tiny flowers emerge is white in color and the leaves below are green of course, symbolizing the 3 colors of our National Flag.

JAI HIND!!!!!

VANDE MATARAM!!!!!!

HAPPY INDEPENDANCE DAY TO ALL THE INDIANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SALSA VEGETARIAN CLUB SANDWICH

SALSA VEGETARIAN CLUB SANDWICH
This is a highly nutritious sandwich, rich in proteins due to the black chickpeas used in the recipe.
Ingredients
For patties
4 potatoes (boiled)
1/2 cup Black chick peas (kala chana)
2 tbsp sago (sabudana)
3-4 bread slices
2 green chillies (chopped)
Some coriander or parsley or mint leaves(chopped)
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp oil
Oil for frying the patties
Salt to taste

For Sandwich
Buns (the long ones, like hot dogs buns)
Lettuce leaves
Onions (cut into circles)
Cucumber slices
4-5 tbsp tomato ketchup

For salsa sauce
1 tomato (chopped into pieces)
2 green chillies (chopped)
1 tbsp olive oil
some coriander leaves (chopped)
½ tsp sugar

Method
For Patties:
Soak the black chick peas in water overnight. Boil in a pressure cooker till tender. Remove and cool and mash into a paste. Keep aside. Soak the sago in water for 15 minutes. Drain and keep aside. Peel and mash the potatoes. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and add the mashed potatoes, sago, Black chick peas paste, green chillies, salt to taste, lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well. Remove and cool.

Dip the bread slices in water for a few seconds. Squeeze out the water and add to the potato mixture. Divide into various portions and shape into cutlets. Heat oil and fry these one at a time, till golden brown.

For salsa sauce: Mix all the ingredients and season.

For Sandwich: Cut the bun into 2 halves. Spread the ketchup on one side and place a piece of lettuce or cabbage leaf. Place the onions and cucumbers on it. You can place tomato slices also if you like. Place a cutlet on top of this and top with salsa sauce. Cover with another portion of the bun. Heat in a microwave oven for one minute and serve.

EASY MEXICAN RICE

MEXICAN RICE
This is a quick and easy recipe, taste really good and can made in a jiffy
Ingredients
Rice -1 Cup
Onion - 2 Chopped
Capsicum -1
Tomatoes - 2
Garlic 8 - 10 flakes
Oil - 2 tbsp.
Soya sauce 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder to taste
Salt to taste
Water 2 Cups

Method
First mix rice and water with salt. Cover the dish and cook in the microwave for 12 minutes. Take another dish, put oil, chopped onions, garlic and microwave for 6 minutes till brown. Add chilly powder. Put capsicum pieces, microwave for 2 minutes. Add tomato pieces, soya sauce. Add all these to boiled rice. Mix well. Microwave for 4 minutes.

Serve hot

PANEER PAV (COTTAGE CHEESE STUFFED BUNS)

PANEER PAV (COTTAGE CHEESE STUFFED BUNS)
Ingredients
4 unsweetened buns
150 gm paneer (cottage cheese)
1 Onion finely chopped
1 red capsicum
1 green capsicum
1 tsp pomegranate seeds powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
4 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

Method
Cut the capsicums into tiny pieces. Crumble the paneer. Cut a very thin slice from the top of each bun and keep aside to be used as a lid later. With a knife, scoop out the buns so that the filling can be stuffed into it.

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and sauté the onions until transparent and then add the capsicums and sauté for one minute. Add the paneer and the spices and cook over a low flame for 3-4 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Remove the paneer filling from fire and fill the scooped out buns with this filling. Cover each bun with the sliced portion cut to make a filling earlier, it would be like a lid on the bun. Now rub each bun with oil. Preheat an oven and heat till the buns are a little crisp. Serve hot.

SPICY POTATO SALAD

SPICY POTATO SALAD
Ingredients
Potatoes - 4
Oil – 2tbsp
Onion – 1 chopped
Green chilies – 1or2 chopped
Red chilly powder - to taste
Salt - to taste
Tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp.
Curd -2 tbsp.
Lemon juice -1tsp
Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp

Method
Boil the potatoes. Don’t over boil it. Peel and cut into cubes. Put the oil into a bowl, microwave for 1 minute. Add the onions and green chilies, microwave for 2 minutes. Mix all the ingredients along with the potatoes, microwave for 1 minute.

Serve hot / chilled

INSTANT EGGLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE IN A MICROWAVE

Cake is something I have always striven to make and has failed me many times, making an eggless cake is quite tricky and it has happened that although I used the right consistency my cake still turned out to be a flop, so I ended up buying the Instant Cake mix from the market whenever I felt like having a homemade cake, but here is this recipe which always turns out successful for me. It is a simple recipe, no need to buy milkmaid or thumsup/goldspot etc to add into the batter. Most of the ingredients or rather all of the ingredients are available at home. Please do try this recipe.
INSTANT EGGLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE IN A MICROWAVE

Ingredients
Use the same cup or bowl for all the measurements
Maida or Self Raising flour (if available) – 11/2 cups
Chocolate powder / Cocoa Powder – 1 tbsp
Vanilla Powder – 1 tsp or Vanilla Essence – 1 tsp
Powdered Sugar – 1 cup
Baking Soda – 1 tbsp
Milk – 1 Cup
Oil – 3 tbsps (Any ordinary cooking oil can be used)
Little Maragarine or Butter for greasing the glass container

Method
In a big bowl put 11/2 cups of the self raising flour. In the market you get self raising flour, that is better than using Maida as the cake will be porous and fluffy using this flour, but if it is not available you can always use Maida.

Add the Cocoa powder, Mix well, to ensure that there are no lumps in the powder. Add the Baking soda, Vanilla powder or essence and the powdered sugar (The sugar can be powdered in a mixie or you can also use a cup of Castor sugar or powdered sugar which is readily available in the market) Mix well. Now take the 3 tbsps oil and mix it with 1 cup of milk and add this to the mixed powders. Mix well. Ensure that there are no lumps. It should be a uniform mixture. It will become like a batter. Remember use the same bowl or cup for all the measurements else the recipe won’t work. Don’t mix the cake batter too much else the cake will become hard, just a light mix till it comes to the batter consistency is okay.

Now take a round/ square/ oval glass container in which you can bake the cake. Grease this container well. Pour the batter into this container and keep on high for 5-7 minutes.

Set the timer for 5 minutes and check if done, if not you can keep it for another 2 minutes. This is the best part of using a microwave, as u can always open and keep checking. Put a knife into the cake and check….If the knife comes out clean, the cake is done, but if it comes out sticky you need to cook it for some more time.

Once the cake is done. Remove it from the microwave oven and allow it to cool and then cut it into pieces and serve.

This cake can never fail. It’s a sure shot cake and can be made in 7 minutes. It’s the quickest dessert to make.