this post was submitted on 29 Jan 2024
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I make a traditional pesto and use it for all kinds of recipes. I adore this pesto for soups, pasta, veggies.

However, when I use it for pizza, I get this weird paradox where everything is too salty, but still feels like it needs salt. For toppings I use fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers and parboiled asparagus. I don't season them to offset the saltiness.

Any suggestions on how to make this pizza perfect?

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[–] Berttheduck@lemmy.ml 16 points 9 months ago (3 children)

Do you need more acid? A little lemon juice or vinegar may help with the saltiness.

[–] DarkNightoftheSoul@mander.xyz 12 points 9 months ago

This was my first thought, too, like you took the thought out of my mind. I agree, OP. Lemon or Lime juice, or even a small splash of high quality vinegar can make all the difference.

[–] WndyLady@lemm.ee 6 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I will give this a try! Maybe thin out the pesto with citrus or balsamic. Thanks for weighing in!

[–] Icarus 7 points 9 months ago

Balsamic drizzle on some pesto pizza, now that sound a like a winner,

[–] KRAW@linux.community 4 points 9 months ago

TBH the solution is to salt the pesto less and salt your toppings more, probably by just adding finishing salt after cooking the pizza. Also consider using a nonfresh mozzarella, which generally has more flavor. While the creaminess of fresh is nice, I find it to be way too bland most of the time.

This problem is the exact reason why I stick to pepperoni and banana peppers. They are inherently flavorful and salty.

[–] villasv 4 points 9 months ago

Maybe add some umami to give it a non-salty savory touch?

[–] WndyLady@lemm.ee 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

I've tried adding crushed red pepper for the heat, but it doesn't change the salt balance issue.

[–] neptune@dmv.social 1 points 9 months ago