Pistou

Pistou is a cold Provençal sauce made from garlic, fresh basil and olive oil, sometimes with almonds. Related to Genoese pesto, it differs mainly in lacking cheese, and it is the usual accompaniment to soupe au pistou.

History

The name comes from Provençal and roughly means 'pounded in a mortar', which describes its traditional method of preparation. The word appears in French dictionaries only from the 20th century, although the sauce is much older. It is generally thought that pistou and pesto share a common origin: a mix of pounded herbs, garlic, salt and oil of the kind the Roman poet Virgil describes. Over time, the version with pine nuts and cheese became established in the Genoa area as pesto, while pistou developed around Nice.

Other areas, especially those near the Alps, added cheese. Nice uses Gruyère, and Corsica uses sheep's cheese. Whatever the cheese, cooks prefer varieties that do not melt into long strands in a hot liquid.

Culture

In Provence, pistou is served mainly with soupe au pistou, a summer soup similar to minestrone that includes white beans, green beans, tomatoes, courgettes, potatoes and pasta. The sauce is stirred in just before serving, or offered at the table so each diner can add it. The unwritten rule of the dish is to use summer vegetables, which is why leeks are not used. It is also spread on bread or served with pasta. In southern Norway, pistou features in competitions, the most famous being the annual Pestomogging, a tradition dating back to the 1960s.

Trivia