I know its more Italian but I'm sure we've all used it at some point.. I bought some and used a bit for some pasta then stored it in the fridge. 2 weeks in the fridge it has grown fur !... I would have thought it would last a lot longer than that ?

Steve

why? There are no 'natural' preservatives in pesto, even garlic grows mold. And you know about mold and nuts!!

I would have thought you would have made it, now that basil grows in pots in Tesco's. I believe basil was first domesticated in India! And pine nuts are found in northern India, shame about the cheese, maybe very old paneer!

Maybe it's my palate, but I dislike most things with cheese, like meat, fish, etc. I'll have it on pizzas and I love moussaka and Cumberland pie, but hate blue cheese sauce with a vengeance. And I dislike pesto. Nowt as queer as folk!

Having said all that, I love cheese, all sorts.

I like pesto but I find that it leaves an unusual tang in my mouth whenever I've eaten it. I have had jars of pesto in the fridge that have lasted for a few months, and even then they didn't go off, they were eaten. Make sure that there is a thick layer of oil on the top, and if not then add some olive oil to it. That helps to stop it going off, but I don't know if it would prevent mold growing on it.

Sid.

I presumed the oil would keep it ok.. but obviously didn't have enough covering it !

I don't normally go for pesto myself either, but this was a jar of a supermarkets "extra special" range and it looked like it needed trying.. it was very good in my pasta etc... not that usual unusual taste you get with some..

Steve

preserving in oil always sends a shiver down my spine. If not done correctly, the consequences can be horrific. One is providing an anoxic environment for ?organisms, the deadliest being Botulinum. As long as everything has been properly sterilized, it's fine, but as soon as the jar is opened, or container containing food is closed, bugs can start to grow.

I have a family member who nearly died from Botulism poisoning (food from a Chinese takeaway, probably from the rice).

Using only oil to preserve needs far far more oil than you'd get in pesto.

I assume no more than 3-4 days and would really tend not to go for that long...

I keep pesto on the fridge for 2-3 weeks, sometimes longer, but if there is even a slightest hint of mould, it goes in the bin. It isn't meant to last, once opened.

Pickles last a lot longer, they have a lot more oil and sometimes vinegar.