How to turn stale bread into "poor man's pesto"

Bagnèt verd is a super economical green sauce originating from Piedmont in northern Italy. It's a kind of poor man's pesto made with stale bread instead of pine nuts and cheese. The firmer the bread the better, but any crusty bread will do. As a whole-food lover, however, I like to use the sturdy crust of a dark brown sourdough because not only does it have so much flavor and nutrition, but it also gives the sauce a wonderful texture. /p>
Bagnèt verd is usually served with grilled tomino or bollito misto, a traditional dish of stewed meat, but it also goes well with any meat , fish or simply cooked vegetable. You can introduce an extra layer of flavor complexity by possibly adding a few capers and some umami-rich anchovy fillets, but even though it's completely plant-based and without the optional extras, it's an extremely flavorful sauce that you you just might find yourself slathering yourself on just about anything you can, from a humble piece of toast to a magnificent roast dinner. parsley instead of basil and stale bread instead of the usual nuts and cheese. It is less rich and more acidic than pesto, so it goes particularly well with rich and meaty dishes, as it reduces fat, but it can also be enjoyed as a snack on toast or with any simple savory meal.
< p class="dcr-8zipgp">Makes 6-10 servings
50g old hardened bread, preferably whole leavened 1½ tbsp vinegar – wine, sherry or cider2 tsp capers, drained, plus 1 tbsp their brine (or water) 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 small clove garlic, peeled 2 anchovy fillets, optional 50g parsley, including stems Sea salt and black pepper
Tear the stale bread into pieces and put them in a blender with the vinegar, caper brine (or water) and extra virgin olive oil. Add capers and anchovies, if using, and add garlic. Finely chop the parsley stems and coarsely chop the leaves, add them to the blender as well, then pulse to make a coarse but even-textured paste. Season and store in a clean jar in the refrigerator, where it will keep for up to a week.

Recipe Jun 18, 2023 0 43 Add to Reading List

How to turn stale bread into "poor man's pesto"

Bagnèt verd is a super economical green sauce originating from Piedmont in northern Italy. It's a kind of poor man's pesto made with stale bread instead of pine nuts and cheese. The firmer the bread the better, but any crusty bread will do. As a whole-food lover, however, I like to use the sturdy crust of a dark brown sourdough because not only does it have so much flavor and nutrition, but it also gives the sauce a wonderful texture. /p>

Bagnèt verd is usually served with grilled tomino or bollito misto, a traditional dish of stewed meat, but it also goes well with any meat , fish or simply cooked vegetable. You can introduce an extra layer of flavor complexity by possibly adding a few capers and some umami-rich anchovy fillets, but even though it's completely plant-based and without the optional extras, it's an extremely flavorful sauce that you you just might find yourself slathering yourself on just about anything you can, from a humble piece of toast to a magnificent roast dinner. parsley instead of basil and stale bread instead of the usual nuts and cheese. It is less rich and more acidic than pesto, so it goes particularly well with rich and meaty dishes, as it reduces fat, but it can also be enjoyed as a snack on toast or with any simple savory meal.

< p class="dcr-8zipgp">Makes 6-10 servings

50g old hardened bread, preferably whole leavened 1½ tbsp vinegar – wine, sherry or cider2 tsp capers, drained, plus 1 tbsp their brine (or water) 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 small clove garlic, peeled 2 anchovy fillets, optional 50g parsley, including stems Sea salt and black pepper

Tear the stale bread into pieces and put them in a blender with the vinegar, caper brine (or water) and extra virgin olive oil. Add capers and anchovies, if using, and add garlic. Finely chop the parsley stems and coarsely chop the leaves, add them to the blender as well, then pulse to make a coarse but even-textured paste. Season and store in a clean jar in the refrigerator, where it will keep for up to a week.