Sauce

Italy

Pesto alla Siciliana, also known as Sicilian pesto or pesto rosso (lit. red pesto), is a flavorful variation of traditional Italian pesto originating from Sicily. Unlike the classic Pesto alla Genovese, which is green and basil-forward, Sicilian pesto features tomatoes (often sun-dried or cherry tomatoes) and almonds as its primary ingredients, creating a sweet, tangy, and nutty flavor profile. It also includes basil, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, with optional additions like ricotta for creaminess. This rich and vibrant sauce is commonly used with pasta, spread on bread or crostini, or as a topping for grilled meats, fish, or vegetables, embodying the sunny Mediterranean flavors of Sicily.

Pesto alla siciliana

This Sicilian cousin to the popular pesto alla Genovese is prepared with fresh basil, almonds, garlic, olive oil, ripe tomatoes, and salt to taste. Traditionally, this pesto is prepared in a mortar, producing a chunky sauce with contrasting red and green colors. Pesto alla Trapanese is most often paired with a home-made Sicilian pasta variety known as busiate, although it can be paired with other types of pasta such as spaghetti, linguine, or penne.

Pesto alla Trapanese

The key ingredients of this Sicilian pesto are pistachios, preferably the sweet, bright green nuts of the pistacchio verde di Bronte DOP, hailing from the area around the Sicilian town of Bronte. To prepare this sauce, unsalted pistachios are roasted until fragrant, and then combined with ingredients such as basil, garlic, lemon zest, olive oil, grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino cheese, salt, and pepper. Traditionally, the sauce is made in a mortar, and some versions call for the addition of other types of nuts such as almonds, pine nuts, or walnuts for a more balanced flavor, or the use of other aromatic herbs such as mint, sage, or cilantro. In Italy, pesto di pistacchio can be found ready-made in stores, and it is traditionally enjoyed with fusilli pasta and cherry tomatoes, although it can also be eaten with other types of pasta such as orecchiette or spaghetti. Being incredibly versatile, this sweet and aromatic sauce is often served with roasted vegetables or on top of bruschettas, sandwiches, pizzas, or salads, and it is commonly used on fish or meat.

Pesto di pistacchio

Pesto di prezzemolo is an Italian parsley-based pesto, offering a fresh and aromatic alternative to the traditional pesto Genovese. Made with parsley as the star ingredient, it provides a bright and slightly peppery flavor, complemented by garlic, pine nuts (or almonds/walnuts), Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, lemon juice, and olive oil. The ingredients are blended or pounded into a smooth, creamy sauce with a rich, nutty, and slightly salty taste. Lighter and less sweet than basil pesto, pesto di prezzemolo is versatile and can be used to toss with pasta, as a sauce for grilled fish, chicken, or steak, spread on bread or bruschetta, or as a topping for vegetables. This vibrant and flavorful sauce highlights parsley&rsquo;s fresh taste, making it a cherished variation in Italian cuisine.

Pesto di prezzemolo

Pesto di rucola, or arugula pesto, is a vibrant Italian sauce made with fresh arugula (rocket), offering a peppery and slightly bitter alternative to traditional pesto. The sauce is prepared by blending arugula with nuts (typically almonds, walnuts, or pine nuts), grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, garlic, olive oil, and optional additions like lemon juice to balance the bitterness. This smooth, flavorful paste is versatile and pairs beautifully with pasta, bread, salads, or as a topping for grilled meats and vegetables. Its bold and fresh flavor, highlighted by the distinctive peppery taste of arugula, makes it a favorite for those seeking a unique twist on a classic Italian condiment.

Pesto di rucola

Pesto di rucola e basilico is a vibrant Italian sauce that combines the peppery, slightly bitter taste of arugula (rucola) with the sweet, herbal flavor of basil. Made with fresh arugula, basil, garlic, pine nuts (or walnuts/almonds), Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, and olive oil, it offers a bold yet balanced flavor. Lemon juice is sometimes added to enhance the freshness and balance the bitterness of arugula. The ingredients are blended into a smooth, creamy sauce with a rich, nutty, and savory depth. This pesto is perfect for tossing with pasta, spreading on sandwiches or bruschetta, topping grilled meat, fish, or vegetables, or serving as a dip for bread. Its fresh, peppery twist on traditional pesto makes it a versatile and flavorful addition to Italian cuisine.

Pesto di rucola e basilico

Pesto Genovese is a sauce with origins in the Italian city of Genoa. Traditionally, it consists of basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, and cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino. Its name stems from the word pestare, meaning to pound or crush, referring to the original method of making the sauce with a mortar and pestle. It is said that pesto originated from the ancient Romans who ate a paste called moretum, made by crushing together ingredients such as cheese, herbs, and garlic. Pesto is usually used with pasta, traditionally with trofie or trenette, but can also sometimes be served with sliced tomatoes or boiled potatoes.

Pesto Genovese

Pesto rosso, also known as red pesto, is an Italian sauce that combines the fresh, herbal flavors of traditional pesto Genovese with the rich, tangy sweetness of tomatoes. It is made by blending fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, pecorino cheese, and olive oil (the base of Pesto Genovese) with tomato pulp or sun-dried tomatoes, which give the sauce its distinctive red color and robust flavor. The result is a rich, savory, and slightly tangy sauce with a perfect balance of herbal freshness, nuttiness, and umami. Pesto rosso is highly versatile and can be used to toss with pasta, as a spread for bread or sandwiches, a topping for grilled vegetables, chicken, or fish, or even mixed into soups and stews for added depth. It&rsquo;s a flavorful twist on classic green pesto, beloved in Italian cuisine for its earthy and vibrant taste.

Pesto rosso

Phrik kaeng phet is the name for red Thai curry paste. Although there are variations, it's usually made with a combination of garlic, shallots, red chili peppers, shrimp paste, coriander, cumin, peppercorns, salt, coconut milk, nutmeg, lemongrass, and grated kaffir lime peel. The ingredients are mashed into a paste with a mortar and pestle, and the paste is then used to make red curries that often contain pork, beef, shrimp, duck, or eel, bamboo shoots, pumpkin, and Thai basil.

Phrik kaeng phet

Spain

Picada is a Catalan and Valencian specialty sauce consisting of almonds or other nuts, bread, and liquids such as water or different broths. Some cooks like to add cinnamon, cumin, chocolate, saffron, or garlic in order to improve the flavors even further. The sauce is traditionally used as a thickening agent when added to other sauces, or as a seasoning for various meat, fish, and vegetable dishes.

Picada

Pipian or mole verde or green mole is a spicy Mexican mole sauce with a unique, nutty flavor. Although the most famous version comes from Oaxaca as one of the seven moles of Oaxaca, where every household has their own version, green mole is prepared all over Mexico. It's usually made with ingredients such as cumin, coriander, garlic, dried chiles, and ground squash or pumpkin seeds which are either dried or roasted. Lemon juice can be additionally added to the combination in order for pipian to develop a more liquid consistency. The sauce is traditionally served over enchiladas or roasted chicken, while it is also commonly used as a flavorful rub for meat. Depending on the region, pipian can also be red or white, although the green one is the most traditional and popular variety.

Pipian

Pique Criollo is a Puerto Rican hot sauce prepared in numerous version, as each family has their own recipe. However, it is always based on hot chili peppers and vinegar, and the concoction can be combined with olive oil, various fresh herbs, onions, pineapple chunks, and garlic cloves. The combination is then left to macerate in the sun for about five days, and the longer it macerates, the hotter it gets.

Pique Criollo

Pique verde boricua is a traditional green sauce. It is made with a combination of Caballero chili peppers, Cubanelle peppers, onions, cilantro, culantro, olive oil, lime juice, and garlic. This hot sauce is usually served with tostones, mofongo, rice and beans, meat dishes, and root vegetables.

Pique verde boricua

France

A distant cousin of Italian pesto, this classic Proven&ccedil;al cold sauce traditionally consists of olive oil, fresh parsley, and crushed garlic. The name pistou comes from the Proven&ccedil;al word for &ldquo;crushed&rdquo;, due to the fact that the sauce is ideally prepared by crushing the combined ingredients in a mortar and pestle until the sauce reaches a smooth texture. The best-known use for this sauce is in soupe au pistou, a Proven&ccedil;al soup full of various garden vegetables that, according to legend, was invented in the 18th century by a duchess who wanted to seduce a marquis. Pistou can also be used as a sauce for pasta dishes, or as a flavoring for chicken and grilled fish.

Pistou

Pomarola is a traditional Tuscan sauce. It's made with tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil, and salt. The tomatoes are cut into smaller pieces, and then placed in a pot with garlic and basil leaves. The combination is cooked, and the tomatoes are then passed through a sieve or a food mill. Once the excess water has evaporated from the tomatoes, olive oil and salt are added to the mix, and the sauce is then cooked for a short while until fully done. This simple tomato sauce is usually prepared in the summer, and it is then preserved in jars until winter, when pomarola is used with various types of pasta.

Pomarola

Poutine gravy is a traditional gravy that's served over french fries in the famous national dish called poutine. It's usually made with a combination of beef or chicken stock, flour, butter, water, freshly ground pepper, and cornstarch. The ingredients are simmered until the gravy becomes thick in consistency. Once done, this gravy is poured over french fries, and the dish (poutine) is then topped with white cheese curds (solid pieces of curdled milk).

Poutine gravy

Prik gaeng massaman is a traditional curry paste originating from Thailand. Unlike most other curry pastes, the ingredients for this one are almost all roasted or fried before they're pounded or ground. The ingredients for the paste are usually cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, dried hot peppers, galangal, garlic, lemongrass, peppercorns, shallots, kaffir lime zest, salt, shrimp paste, nutmeg, and mace. Once roasted, the ingredients are usually ground with a mortar and pestle, and if properly prepared, the paste should be dark red, smoky, and very fragrant. It's then usually mixed with coconut milk and added to chicken curries, most notably the eponymous massaman curry. The paste will keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator.

Prik gaeng massaman

Thailand

Jungle curry paste is a fiery and robust mixture emphasizing the fresh, local herbs and spices typical of the region's wild or homegrown produce, and its heat and unique flavor profile are primarily derived from fresh green or red chilies, making a notably spicier Thai curry than others. It originates from the forested and rural areas of Northern Thailand. The key components of jungle curry paste include fresh green chilies, galangal, lemongrass, makrut lime zest, garlic, shallots, fingerroot (grachai), peppercorns, and shrimp paste. These ingredients are traditionally ground using a mortar and pestle to create a vibrant and aromatic blend that is spicy, sharp, and rich in herbal flavors. Variations can also include dried red chilis. In Thailand, they often make a shortcut version by blending red curry paste with fingerroot, lemongrass, and green Thai chilis.

Prik Gaeng Pa

Panang curry paste is a Thai curry paste characterized by a vibrant red color, nutty flavor, and rich texture. It is prepared with lots of herbs, spices, and aromatics, namely Thai spur chillis, cumin, coriander, white peppercorns, lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, cilantro roots, garlic, shallots, shrimp paste, roasted peanuts, and salt. The preparation starts with deseeding and soaking the chilies and roasting the cumin and coriander. The cumin, coriander, and peppercorns are finely ground in a mortar and pestle, and then the other so-called "wet" ingredients are added to the dry ones and mortar and pestled until a paste is formed. Compared to the similar Thai red chili paste, panang curry paste is less red as it has less chilis and is richer. It is used in the preparation of Panang Thai curry, and commercially produced ones will typically have mung beans instead of peanuts, as many people are allergic to peanuts.

Prik Gaeng Panang

Rag&ugrave; alla Bolognese was invented in the late 18th century by Alberto Alvisi, a chef of Pope Pius VII. The base of this classic is made with beef, pork or a combination of both, as well as ripe, fresh tomatoes or tomato pur&eacute;e, red or very dry white wine, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Common additions may also include Italian pancetta and milk or cream. Traditionally, rag&ugrave; alla Bolognese is served with tagliatelle pasta, and it is an essential part of lasagne alla Bolognese. It can also pair well with pappardelle, fettuccine or homemade farfalle. Most dishes that are prepared with rag&ugrave; alla Bolognese are typically served with the freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. It is believed that the first written mention of the rag&ugrave; can be found in La Scienza in Cucina e l'Arte di Mangiar Bene, a culinary manual written by Pellegrino Artusi in 1891, while the recipe for the original rag&ugrave; alla Bolognese was first registered with the Bologna Chamber of Commerce on October 17, 1982.