Pesto can be used as a sauce for pasta or meat, or can be used as an ingredient in a variety of dishes. One classic use is to spread the pesto onto slices of bread which are then toasted.

The following recipe substitutes romano cheese for the usual parmesan.

• 120g fresh basil
• approx. 240g extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese (In all cases, good quality parmesan cheese may replace the pecorino for a milder taste).
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 4 cloves garlic
• fresh ground pepper and salt to taste.

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius. In an oven proof pan toast the pine nuts for 10-15 minutes, checking every 5 minutes. In a small skillet, heat 2 Tbsp of the olive oil on medium heat. Crush the garlic and sauté in the oil until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Combine the basil, garlic, cheese and pine nuts in a food processor or blender and chop finely. While the processor is still running, slowly add the remaining oil to reach a paste-like consistency.

The sauce can be used immediately, refrigerated in an airtight container for one week, or frozen for several months. The cheese can be omitted to allow longer storage, as it is most likely ingredient to spoil. Grated cheese is then added right before use.

It's possible to store it in jars for longer, but it's advisable to add a little extra olive oil on top of the filled jar, otherwise the top of your pesto will turn brown as it oxidises in the air.

Traditionally, a mortar and pestle was used to make the sauce, but this has generally been replaced by the food processor. Note, however, that the crushing action of the mortar and pestle produces a more intense flavour than the chopping action of a food processor. Indeed, the word "pesto" derives from the Italian for "pestle", pestello.

Additionally, the cheese was added at the time of use, as it is the most likely to spoil. Pesto without the cheese can be stored at room temperature for up to a month, or refrigerated for several.

A common change in the recipe is to replace some or all of the pine nuts with sunflower seeds, walnuts, pistachios or almonds. This significantly reduces the cost of the sauce.

Take two tablespoons of the sauce above in a sauce pot and heat on medium-low. add one cup light cream, and bring to a simmer. Use for pasta. Serves two.

Replace the pine nuts with an equal quantity of sun-dried tomatoes. Use as above.

You may change the taste by changing the base of the pesto from basil to other easily obtained herbs/vegetables. For example, many variations include using cilantro (for a more aromatic taste) or spinach (more "bang for your money", as spinach is much cheaper than basil, yet still has its own distinct flavour). Try to mix up the standard basil/garlic combo by introducing shallots (sweet onions) into the mix, as it adds a slightly sweet taste to the paste. A good alternate favourite pesto is to mix (fresh) chives, marjoram and thyme with the basil, which produces something akin to Valdostano style pesto. Another nice "pesto" replaces the basil with equal parts of leaf parsley and spring onions. Arugula may also be substituted for basil with surprising results.