We may think of pesto as being Italian, in fact it has been enjoyed in this country for over two thousand years.
When the Romans invaded Britain, they brought with them a new food called moretum. Herbs, cheese, oil and salt were ground together using a pestle and mortar and the resulting paste was eaten on bread. Samples of moretum have been found at Vindolanda, making pesto the oldest recorded recipe of the British Isles.
Here you can find many pesto recipes, all using common plants and nuts of our fields and woodlands. Have a go at making pesto yourself and enjoy an ancient British meal.
