Pesto heads with almond, eggplant and pepper pestos
I bought the testaroli in Vernazza during my September stay to celebrate my birthday.
The testaroli are a very simple dish typical of Lunigiana, between Liguria and Tuscany.
According to some sources, their origin goes back to Ancient Rome, so much so that they are considered the most ancient type of pasta. Their history is, however, linked to that of the ancient Roman city of Luni.
They are made with water and flour and are prepared by mixing the ingredients in a fluid batter cooked with wood for a few minutes to form a kind of crepe of a few millimetres thick. The cooking takes place in particular containers called texts, also of ancient origin, once in terracotta, today also in cast iron.
The thin discs of pasta are cut into squares or diamonds a few centimetres apart (lasagnette). Then pour the testaroli into boiling water, adding a few chestnut leaves to cover and cooking them over the heat for a few minutes. They are topped with pesto, with olive oil and pecorino cheese, or with tomato or with porcini mushroom sauce.
The batter is poured into the terracotta texts, previously left to wrinkle near the embers, a stack of texts is made in such a way that the batter is cooked above and below. Once "dismantled", the stack is served in wicker baskets and used as a companatico of cold meats and creamy cheeses. This version is better known as panigacci (news from the web).
Normally we eat them seasoned with the classic Genoese pesto, the other evening I wanted to try a different pesto posted by John. I got a really exquisite, rich and particular sauce that won over my guests.
Ingredients:
- 300 g tuna AsDoMar
- lyophilised garlic
- 1 eggplant
- half pepper
- halls
- chili
- evoking oil Dante
For almond pesto:
- 2 fists of almonds
- basil
- coarse salt
- spicy paprika
- capers
- evoking oil Dante
Procedure:
I chopped the almonds with basil, coarse salt, paprika, capers and oil and then prepared my pesto (some almonds I left them whole).
In a casserole with a string of oil,**** I blasted the eggplant cut into cubes with tuna, I added the pepper cut into strips, salt and chili pepper.
I cut the turnips into diamonds and let them cook in salted water for about 3 minutes.
I have drained and seasoned them.
