5 ways with pesto

A taste of Italy, pesto really comes into its own as the weather gets warmer and venues embrace lighter dishes. Here's how to mix it up on your menu

1 Eat your greens

If you’re bored with offering a Caesar or lemon dressing, pesto makes a deliciously different choice for a wide variety of salads, perfect for the summer months. The classic option is a pesto pasta salad, but why not be a bit more adventurous? Try it with some rocket, tomatoes and peaches or nectarines or mix it with tomatoes, cucumber and avocado for a salad that looks stunning but needs minimal effort.

2 Take a dip

Everyone loves dips. Salsa, guacamole and cheese are classic goto options, but what about a pesto dip? Mix a little pesto in with either Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, guacamole or sour cream for a dip that’ll make your customers look twice. For a showstopper sharing dish, try it served over baked brie.

For additional sales, pop this in tubs to take home, paired with tortilla chips.

3 Stick a pin in it

Nothing says mouthwatering quite like a warm pinwheel, especially when they combine the delicious flavours of pesto, prosciutto, mozzarella cheese and puff pastry. Simply roll out your pastry, slather on the pesto, layer with prosciutto then add cheese. Roll into a log, cover and chill for 20 minutes, then slice and bake until golden and flaky.

4 Fancy a pizza this?

Try replacing tomato sauce with pesto for a lighter option this summer. When you have your dough ready, spread pesto (not too much, it's rich in flavour) on the dough and sprinkle mozzarella cheese and halved cherry tomatoes over the top. Bake until the crust is golden brown and then serve with a sprinkling of chopped fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil.

5 On the grill

If you think a grilled cheese sandwich can't be beaten, try adding pesto. Butter the bread and place the first slice butter side down into a pan over a medium heat. Spread pesto on the unbuttered side and add grated mozzarella cheese, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced peppers and grated cheddar cheese on top. Add a little pesto on the second slice of bread and place it, buttered side up and pesto facing down onto the sandwich. Gently fry both sides and serve when cheese is melted.