Le Conserve della Nonna Pesto Rosso, a red pesto in the jar with the red gingham lid, for penne, bruschetta, toasted sandwiches and dips.
The jar looks homemade on purpose: a red-and-white gingham lid, a matching gingham border, and a round badge reading Le Conserve della Nonna in curly script, with Pesto rosso written in red below and drawings of basil, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. The side says buono come quello della nonna, as good as grandma's, and made in Italy. The gallery shows penne coated in the sauce with torn basil leaves, and a toasted sandwich of tomato and white cheese spread thickly with it. As general background, pesto rosso, red pesto, is a name sometimes used for pesto alla siciliana, a Sicilian cousin of the Genoese basil sauce. Red pestos are typically sweeter and richer than green ones. Commonly, cooks loosen a spoonful with pasta water and toss it through penne or fusilli, spread it on bruschetta and panini, and swirl it into soft cheese or yoghurt for a quick dip. It also brushes onto chicken before grilling and stirs into risotto at the end. The gingham lid also makes it a cheerful jar for a deli shelf or a gift hamper. Once open, keep the jar in the fridge with the lid on tight.
