Recipe: Besto Pesto

Besto Pesto
From: the American Institute for Cancer Research
Makes 6 servings.

Pesto, once an exotic Italian sauce, is now so common and popular that it can be found ready-made on supermarket shelves. But it's much better home-made, and easy to make, especially in the summer when tomatoes are at their best.

Pesto originated in Genoa, where it is made with basil, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, butter and grated cheese. Sicilians make a red-and-green pesto with cherry tomatoes and herbs. Whatever goes in it, pesto is good over pasta, on sliced tomatoes, or heaped on toasted bread. Traditionally made with a mortar and pestle, it can be prepared far more easily and quickly in a food processor or blender.

Pesto includes culinary herbs which contain natural antioxidant substances that help prevent and repair cell damage linked to cancer or heart disease. According to research by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, oregano and mint are extremely high in antioxidant power, as are dill, thyme and rosemary.

According to another study, herbs contain many cancer-fighting phytochemicals that stimulate the immune system, block carcinogenic damage to the DNA in our cells and inhibit a variety of hormones and enzymes associated with cancer development. Cooking with herbs is also good for weight control. Herbs add flavor and richness to prepared dishes, easily replacing fat and salt.

This Sicilian recipe contains no cheese and is best made with salted capers, available in specialty food stores. It shouldn't be hard to find sweet cherry tomatoes in July, but if you can't, farm-grown tomatoes, so plentiful at road stands and farmers' markets, are usually quite sweet at the height of summer.

3/4 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup loosely packed basil
1/4 cup loosely packed celery leaves
1/4 cup loosely packed mint leaves
1/4 small red onion, chopped
6 blanched whole almonds
1 Tbsp. capers, rinsed and drained*
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
12 cherry tomatoes
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 cups cooked pasta or 6 slices bruschetta

Place the parsley, basil, celery leaves, mint, onion, almonds, capers and garlic in a food processor or blender. Pulse 6-8 times to chop them. Add oregano and tomatoes and chop coarsely. With the motor running, gradually drizzle in olive oil. (Herbs and vegetables can also be hand-chopped, then placed in blender to pure with oil.)

Transfer pesto to a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let sit 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Toss with hot, cooked spaghetti or other pasta, or spread on bruschetta (toasted slices of Italian bread).

Store leftover pesto in the refrigerator, tightly covered. Use within 24 hours.

*Salt-cured capers are preferable to those preserved in vinegar, but rinse in tepid water to remove salt crystals.

Per serving: 279 calories, 9 g. total fat (1 g. saturated fat), 43 g. carbohydrate, 8 g. protein, 3 g. dietary fiber, 67 mg. sodium.