Summer is pesto season: 3 fresh recipes to make with a hand blender

There comes a point in summer when the oven feels like the enemy and turning on the hob seems almost cruel. The evenings are made for being outdoors, aperitivo is calling, and so are your friends. You want to put something delicious on the table without spending too long sweating over the stove.

That is why summer is the ideal season for pesto. A few minutes, no lengthy cooking, one whir of the blender and the magic happens. Use it to dress pasta, top crostini for aperitivo or give a sandwich extra character.

Pesto is convenient, but "convenient" does not mean "boring". Quite the opposite. The beauty of pesto is that it is a base you can play with: going from classic pesto alla Genovese to your own creative pesto takes no time at all. Swap one type of nut for another and it takes on a different character; change the vegetable and its colour and mood transform. Add a spice and suddenly that little jar tells stories of faraway places.

Here are three recipes to get you started. They are easy to make with Multi-frù+ by Girmi. Try them, taste them, then make them your own.

Courgette, mint, almond and basil pesto

The freshest of the three. Pale green, full of garden aromas, with mint and lemon notes that taste of summer.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 very fresh light-green courgettes (about 300 g)
• 40 g blanched almonds
• 30 g fresh basil
• 5 mint leaves
• 40 g grated Parmesan
• grated zest of half an unwaxed lemon
• half a garlic clove (optional)
• 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
• fine salt

Method

1. Trim the courgettes and cut them into small cubes. Season lightly with salt and leave to drain in a colander for about 15 minutes. This draws out excess moisture and prevents the pesto from becoming watery. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Alternatively, roughly chop them and squeeze them in a clean tea towel. If the courgettes are not at their freshest, make the cooked version by quickly blanching the cubes.
2. Place the almonds in the chopper attachment and pulse until coarsely chopped. Set aside one tablespoon for the garnish.
3. Add the remaining chopped almonds, drained courgettes, basil, mint, Parmesan, lemon zest, garlic, a pinch of salt and half the oil to the chopper bowl. Pulse, then add the remaining oil and continue pulsing until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the salt.
4. Transfer to a bowl and finish with the reserved chopped almonds and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Where to use it
Excellent with pasta: stir it through off the heat with a ladleful of cooking water for a silky finish. It is also delicious spread over warm crostini or stirred into cold couscous with cherry tomatoes and cucumber.

Feel like experimenting?
Swap the almonds for pine nuts for a more classic flavour, or cashews for extra creaminess. Finish with a pinch of pink peppercorn for a lively twist.

Roasted pepper and walnut pesto

This one has a warm colour and a gentle character. Bright orange, with smoky notes and the comforting creaminess of ricotta.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 large red peppers (about 500 g)
• 40 g shelled walnuts
• 50 g ricotta
• 30 g grated pecorino
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1 pinch smoked sweet paprika
• 2 basil leaves
• half a garlic clove
• 40 ml extra virgin olive oil
• fine salt

Method

1. Place the whole peppers on a baking tray and roast them in the oven or air fryer at 200°C, turning halfway through, until the skins are charred. This is the only "hot" step, but you can also prepare them the night before.
2. Transfer them to a bowl, cover and leave to cool slightly: the skins will peel away easily. Remove the skins, stalks and seeds, then cut the flesh into pieces.
3. Pulse the walnuts in the chopper until finely chopped.
4. Add the pepper flesh, walnuts, ricotta, pecorino, garlic, paprika, basil, vinegar and a pinch of salt to the beaker. Blend with the hand blender while slowly pouring in the oil, until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Where to use it
This one was made for spreading. Crostini, bruschetta, filled rolls and finger sandwiches for an aperitivo spread: the ricotta makes it an ideal filling. Want to use it as a pasta sauce? Halve the ricotta, loosen it with a little cooking water and it is ready.

Feel like experimenting?
Walnuts can easily be swapped for toasted hazelnuts, a brilliant match for peppers. If you enjoy spices, a touch of hot paprika or a pinch of cumin gives it a Mediterranean-spiced twist.

Rocket and pistachio pesto

The boldest of the three. Deep green, with rocket's peppery bite and pistachios adding colour and crunch. A pesto with real personality!

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 80 g rocket
• 50 g unsalted shelled pistachios
• 40 g grated pecorino
• grated zest of half an unwaxed lemon
• half a garlic clove (optional)
• 70 ml extra virgin olive oil
• fine salt

Method

1. Wash the rocket in cold water and dry it thoroughly: cold water helps preserve its vivid green colour, while drying prevents the pesto from becoming diluted.
2. Pulse the pistachios in the chopper. Set aside about 10 g to use as a garnish.
3. Add the rocket, pecorino, lemon zest, garlic and a pinch of salt to the bowl. Once the rocket is finely chopped, add the chopped pistachios. Pulse while slowly pouring in the oil, until you have a creamy pesto that still retains a little texture.
4. Transfer to a bowl and finish with the reserved chopped pistachios.

Where to use it
It is the king of cold pasta. Loosen it with a tablespoon of water and an extra drizzle of oil, toss with cooled fusilli or farfalle, then add a few cherry tomatoes and diced mozzarella. It is also delicious on crostini topped with shavings of mature cheese.

Feel like experimenting?
Try pistachios instead of almonds in the first pesto, or mix the rocket with a little baby spinach to soften its character. A touch of orange zest instead of lemon takes it in a completely different, surprising direction.

One appliance, endless ideas

For all three recipes, all you needed was the Multi-frù+ hand blender and its accessories, which blend, chop and whisk. The same appliance that makes pesto today can prepare a chilled courgette or pea soup tomorrow, a yoghurt dip for crudités, or a fruit purée for a quick summer dessert.

You do not need to be an expert cook to put together a summer spread; all you need is to let your ideas run free and experiment. Swap the nuts, be bold with a spice, make a mistake with an ingredient and discover that it tastes even better that way!