Pesto Panna Cotta

Name: Pesto Panna Cotta
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 8
Ingredients: 2 (1/4-oz.) packages unflavored powdered gelatin; 1 1 ⁄ 3 cups milk; 2 cups heavy cream; 1 cup packed basil leaves; 1 1 ⁄ 4 cups sugar; 1 lb. tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped; 1 tsp. kosher salt; 1 ⁄ 4 cup light brown sugar; 1 ⁄ 2 cup toasted pine nuts; Cherry tomato quarters, to garnish

Serves
serves 8

TODD COLEMAN

This inventive dish from Marco Porceddu at Asellina in New York City reinterprets the classic sauce into a sweet dessert, accompanied by a tomato sorbet and candied pine nuts. This recipe first appeared in SAVEUR Issue #140, along with Laura Schenone's story Glorious Pesto.

Ingredients

2 (1/4-oz.) packages unflavored powdered gelatin
1 ¹⁄₃ cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup packed basil leaves
1 ¹⁄₄ cups sugar
1 lb. tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
1 tsp. kosher salt
¹⁄₄ cup light brown sugar
¹⁄₂ cup toasted pine nuts
Cherry tomato quarters, to garnish

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Instructions

Step 1

Make the panna cotta: In a bowl, sprinkle gelatin over ⅓ cup milk; let sit for 10 minutes. Bring remaining milk along with the cream, basil, and ¾ cup sugar to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan; stir until sugar dissolves. Transfer to a blender, add gelatin mixture, and puree until smooth; pour into eight 4-oz. ramekins. Chill until firm, 3–4 hours.

Step 2

Make the sorbet: Bring remaining sugar, tomatoes, salt, and ½ cup water to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, until tomatoes break down, 12–15 minutes. Puree in a blender; strain and chill. Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Freeze until firm.

Step 3

Make the candied pine nuts: Heat sugar and 1 tbsp. water in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium heat, and cook, swirling, until bubbling; add pine nuts and coat. Spread nuts on a sheet of foil; cool. Break apart into bite-size pieces; set aside. To serve, briefly dip the bottom of each ramekin in a bowl of hot tap water, invert onto a serving plate; top with nuts. Serve with a scoop of tomato sorbet topped with cherry tomatoes.

Make the panna cotta: In a bowl, sprinkle gelatin over ⅓ cup milk; let sit for 10 minutes. Bring remaining milk along with the cream, basil, and ¾ cup sugar to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan; stir until sugar dissolves. Transfer to a blender, add gelatin mixture, and puree until smooth; pour into eight 4-oz. ramekins. Chill until firm, 3–4 hours.
Make the sorbet: Bring remaining sugar, tomatoes, salt, and ½ cup water to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, until tomatoes break down, 12–15 minutes. Puree in a blender; strain and chill. Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Freeze until firm.
Make the candied pine nuts: Heat sugar and 1 tbsp. water in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium heat, and cook, swirling, until bubbling; add pine nuts and coat. Spread nuts on a sheet of foil; cool. Break apart into bite-size pieces; set aside. To serve, briefly dip the bottom of each ramekin in a bowl of hot tap water, invert onto a serving plate; top with nuts. Serve with a scoop of tomato sorbet topped with cherry tomatoes.