What to do with pesto beyond pasta

Pesto replaces butter and mayonnaise and gives a sandwich a character of its own. It works with mozzarella, roast peppers, egg and smoked fish. On focaccia, spread it after baking while the bread is still warm.

Roast potatoes, carrots, squash and cauliflower take pesto straight out of the oven, while they are still hot. New potatoes suit parsley pesto best.

A spoonful of pesto on scrambled eggs, a poached egg or an omelette changes breakfast without adding work. It is also the simplest way to sell pesto in a breakfast kitchen.

Pesto loosened with Greek yoghurt or cream becomes a dip for vegetables, and with lemon juice and oil a dressing for leaves. Start with one spoon of pesto to three of the base.

Pesto works as a marinade for chicken, a finish on roast salmon and an accent on a vegetable soup. In hot dishes it goes on the plate, not into the pot.