Vitelium Pesto Verde al Tartufo, 90 g. Basil pesto with summer truffle, Parmigiano Reggiano and olive oil from Molise.

Vitelium Pesto Verde al Tartufo, 90 g is a green truffle pesto from Molise: 34 percent basil, 28 percent Parmigiano Reggiano p.e., 5 percent summer truffle (Tuber aestivum), pine nuts, salt and flavoring, bound with extra virgin olive oil from Vitelium's own groves. Herbaceous, spicy and earthy, in a 90-g jar.

Pesto Verde al Tartufo combines two classics of Italian cuisine in one jar: green basil pesto with cheese and pine nuts and the earthy spice of summer truffle. Vitelium makes it in Provvidenti in Molise, with truffles from the region and oil from its own olive groves. Basil and cheese together make up more than half the jar. This keeps the pesto fresh and green in character, while the truffle gives it a dark undertone.

Taste

When you open the jar, you first get the scent of fresh basil, followed shortly by a warm, woody note. The Parmigiano Reggiano brings spice and a delicate saltiness, while the pine nuts round off the paste with a soft texture. The summer truffle lies over it and turns the familiar pasta pesto into something special for a special evening. The flavoring in the ingredients list supports this truffle note, because summer truffle is naturally more subtle than white truffle from late autumn.

The olive oil is Vitelium's extra virgin olive oil made from early-harvested green olives. It gives the pesto a slightly peppery freshness. Vitelium deliberately stirs the paste a little firmer than a classic pesto, so that it can be spread thickly on toasted bread. If you prefer a looser pesto, simply stir in a dash of olive oil.

There are two things you should know: Because of the Parmigiano Reggiano, this pesto is vegetarian, but not vegan. And if you only know truffle as a very strong, dominant scent, you will find a calmer version here, where the basil takes center stage.

Usage

For pasta, stir two to three tablespoons with a splash of pasta water and some olive oil until smooth, and toss linguine or trofie in it. On a briefly seared beef steak or veal fillet, the roasted aromas and truffle spice complement each other. Grilled zucchini, eggplant and peppers get a spicy accompaniment with a dollop, while mixed under baked potatoes, it turns the side dish into a meal of its own.

As a spread, the pesto is perfect on crostini for an aperitif or in a ciabatta with mozzarella and ripe tomatoes. Stirred into a cream sauce or vegetable soup, it gives the whole pot color and spice. You can find more about the tuber itself in our Truffle Guide.

Our tip: Add the pesto only at the very end and off the heat to the pasta. This keeps the basil and truffle scent at their strongest.

Origin

Vitelium is the manufactory of Dr. Davide Petrollino and Constanze Engelbrecht. Davide comes from Campobasso, is a plant biologist and takes care of cultivation and production in Provvidenti, while Constanze runs the business from Hamburg. Davide inherited the olive groves with their old trees from his grandfather. The olives are harvested early and by hand and pressed purely mechanically within a few hours. The truffle is supplied by a friendly truffle hunter from the neighboring village. How the two came to their oil, they tell in the Interview with Vitelium.

For whom

The Pesto Verde al Tartufo is for everyone who loves green pesto and wants to give it a truffle note. If you like it without cheese and entirely mushroom-based, reach for the vegan Truffle Pesto Tartufata. For a creamy sauce with white truffle, the White Truffle Cream from the same house is the right choice. You can find more varieties in our Pesto category.

Contains milk (Parmigiano Reggiano), may contain traces of gluten, celery and nuts. Store cool, dry and dark unopened, keep in the refrigerator after opening and consume within five days. If the surface around the edges becomes slightly darker, it is due to the fresh herbs and does not change the taste.

A jar of green summer with a touch of forest, for pasta, steak and crostini.