Dating Tips and Advice from our Award Winning Matchmakers

Matchmaker Mary Shares Her Secret Recipe for Love

Pesto sauce with a difference

Perfect backdrop for foreplay, after-play or even in-between play!

Preparing ‘aphrodisiac’ dishes with your soul mate, glass of wine in hand and favourite music in the background is a wonderful start to a romantic evening – try my pesto recipe below.

Pungent, sensual basil, the king of herbs, with its long history of reputed aphrodisiac qualities, is of course the main ingredient of pesto. Pine nuts too were alleged to improve performance and Casanova would swallow one hundred every night before bed.

Finger dipping and licking are mandatory to check the balance of flavours, of course.  Too little salt, more oil, basil, garlic – whatever?  Olfactory and taste buds being aroused, one thing can easily lead to another!

Click here for my video of how I make pesto sauce at home.

Combine the finished pesto with your favourite pasta for an orgasmic climax to your evening.

For authenticity try Trofie pasta with green beans and potatoes with your home made pesto, but any pasta or indeed vegetable will happily join your feast.

You’ll need:

  • 1 large pot or bunch of basil (keep some leaves for garnishing)
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped
  • 50 g pine kernels
  • 60g grated Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino sheep’s cheese)
  • 150ml best olive oil
  • Freshly ground pepper.
  • ½ teaspoon of coarse sea salt

Although traditionally pesto is made in a marble mortar and with a wooden pestle, best to use a food processor for my 3 minute version.

Freshness!  I cannot stress strongly enough how important it is to use fresh, absolutely fresh, ingredients – basil straight from your garden or the market stall. Always check your pine nuts are OK too as they can go rancid v. quickly – I keep mine in the fridge till I need them.

Of course you should always wash the basil first.  But if possible do this well beforehand to give it time to dry first.

Method:

(a)  Place all ingredients except the oil in a food processor and blend.

(b)  With the motor running add the olive oil gradually as if you were making mayonnaise.

Eat soon, very soon, with love and passion, stirred into your favourite cooked pasta – trofie being the most authentic choice for this. Sprinkle with some grated or shaved parmesan and garnished with reserved basil leaves.

Or put in a jar in the fridge for up to a week.  It also freezes wonderfully and is also a much appreciated dinner party gift for your host or hostess .

NB pesto is never cooked. Warmed, yes – as it’s added to pasta, but never heated or you’ll lose the flavour.

BTW, most commercial pesto’s contain various forms of nasties which warp or kill the true basil taste.   I’ve seen, yogurt, veg. fibre, potato flakes included.  Then, substitutes for original ingredients such as sunflower oil in lieu of olive oil, cashew nuts instead of pine nuts, any old cheeses, garlic powder, flavourings (what!), sugar, glucose, etc.  Also, preservatives such as ascorbic acid etc.  Yuk!

I look forward to sharing many more ‘aphrodisiac’ recipes with you.

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