Rocket Pesto

Asked by skillie. Answered on 4th February 2013

Full question

I read the Basil Pesto recipe on Nigella's website and want to know if I can use rocket instead of basil? Or do you have a recipe?

Our answer

It is possible to use rocket (arugula) to make pesto, though you need to remember that rocket has a strong, peppery taste which may be too powerful for some. The Basil Pesto recipe on the website is a Community Recipe, so has not been tested by us and we can't give exact quantities, but we would suggest maybe trying with half rocket and half basil to see how much you like this, and then adjust the ratio of rocket to basil according to your own taste. If you don't like the taste of basil then you could use a combination of rocket and baby spinach leaves instead.

Some people also like to vary the cheese used in the pesto, particularly if using rocket. Grana Padano is slightly cheaper than Parmesan and may have a milder taste, depending on how long it has been aged for. Some people like to use a hard Pecorino cheese, which is made from ewe's milk and has a different taste to both Parmesan and Grana Padano.