3 ways with ... Pesto

The perfect dressing for freshly-cooked spaghetti is pesto. The Aucklander

Pizza presto
Swirl your favourite pesto on thin Turkish breads or pizza bases, add slivers of pepperoni, anchovies or dried tomatoes, bake and slice into quick and easy finger food when you are entertaining the TV-watching mates.

Chicken supreme
Marinate chicken pieces in pesto before baking, or stuff under the skin of a whole chicken or breasts before roasting. Deglaze the pan with stock or wine to create a herby jus to serve.

Pasta la vista
The fastest dinner ever is pesto swirled through hot cooked pasta (thin spaghetti is best) or gnocchi, topped with lashings of freshly grated parmesan. Add cream, ham or peas if you want a more substantial feed.