Pistou is similar to Pesto sauce but lacks pine nuts.

Cold Provencal Pistou sauce is made from Basil, Garlic, Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper.

Newer less traditional Pistou recipes include a cheese like Gruyere.

Pistou means “pounded” and according to Chef Wolfert for true Pistou  the leaves are to be hand torn and Pistou is only made using a mortar and pestle.

Feel free to use a mortar and pestle. I’ll be a little rogue and use my stick blender.

If you happen to have a restaurant supply store near you I recommend to purchase your herbs there because I got a pound of basil for what my local supermarket charges for only four ounces. (supermarkets charge about a dollar an ounce)

If you have leftover Pistou sauce you can freeze it in an ice cube tray so you can pop out a cube when you want it.

I do note my Pistou is slightly thick because I try to use to least amount of oil as possible. Depending on your need you can thin the sauce by adding more olive oil.

While it is traditional to stir Pistou into a soup there are countess other uses. Add it to hard boiled eggs or an egg salad. Pistou in a tuna salad.  Pistol make a fabulous chicken salad. Pistou spread on a grilled cheese sandwich or a poultry sandwich. On a flat bread. In dressing, a dip or Pistou tossed with pasta. A local restaurant called Eddie’s House in Scottsdale AZ serves you complimentary bread and flat breads with blue cheese butter that is topped with Pistou and that’s forking delicious! You might want to give that a try! In the picture below I made flat breads, my version of blue cheese butter and poured Pistou sauce over the blue cheese butter the same way that Eddie’s House serves it.

Ingredients for about 18 ounces I’d say that’s about 12 servings

12 oz cleaned basil

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves – smashed

1 Tablespoon salt – kosher or sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Give your basil a rough chop – or hand tear it if you prefer

Blend till smooth – or use a mortar and pestle if you prefer

Pistou is just delicious! The Pastabilities are endless.