Spring wild garlic & almond pesto – Babka Zana.

30/04/20254passionfood

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time:

Serves: For a jar of 250 - 300g :

I intended to share the recipe for Babka Zana‘s asparagus, wild garlic, sun-dried tomato, and beldi lemon babka with you.

However, upon reflection, it’s the wild garlic pesto that stole the spotlight! I loved this preparation so much that I adopted it every time I managed to find wild garlic at the farmer’s markets. Admittedly, this can be quite a challenge since this delicious yet temperamental herb is only available in spring.

This version of pesto is a wonderful reinterpretation of the traditional recipe made with basil, parmesan, pine nuts, and olive oil, originating from the Liguria region in Italy. The wild garlic pesto invites us to celebrate the wild, seasonal ingredients that grow in various regions of Europe, particularly Switzerland, Germany, and southern France. As mentioned, the wild garlic season is short, but nothing stops you from freezing it for later use—this is the best way to enjoy the herb year-round.

You can add the pesto to your pasta, sautéed vegetables, stews, or soups, or even use it as a dressing to season your salads. This recipe is a real keeper; you’re going to love it and, most importantly, adopt it.

Feel free to whip up this amazing pesto and let me know what you think! For those looking to discover more recipes from Babka Zana, you can find them HERE 👈. I can’t wait to read your feedback and see your creations!

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Spring wild garlic & almond pesto - Babka Zana.

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Serves: For a jar of 250 - 300g :

Ingredients :

  • 150 g wild garlic
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 50 g of almonds
  • 70 g of parmesan, cut into small pieces
  • 150 g of olive oil
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • a pinch of cayenne pepper

Method :

  • 1)

    Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the whole almonds on it. Toast them in a preheated oven at 150°C for 10-15 minutes, until they are golden brown.

  • 2)

    Meanwhile, rinse the wild garlic leaves, remove the stems, and drain them. The best way to do this is to use a salad spinner. Then, spread the leaves on a clean kitchen towel to dry.

  • 3)

    In a food processor, combine the roughly chopped wild garlic leaves with the olive oil, and pulse gently to avoid heating the mixture.

    Next, add the remaining ingredients: the toasted and cooled almonds, the small pieces of parmesan, the chopped garlic, the cayenne pepper, freshly ground black pepper, and salt. Continue to blend until you achieve a paste, making sure to pause intermittently to prevent overheating. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.

  • 4)

    Fill the jars to 2 cm from the top, gently tapping them a few times on a folded kitchen towel on your countertop. Top with olive oil and store in the fridge for two weeks. You can also freeze it to keep it longer.

    If you choose to freeze it, make sure not to overfill the jars to avoid them bursting during freezing.

    Enjoy !!

Nutrition

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