pesto n 1: a sauce typically served with pasta; contains crushed basil leaves and garlic and pine nuts and Parmesan cheese in olive oil
pesto \pes"to\ (p[e^]s"t[-o]), n. [It. pesto, pounded, from pestare to pound, crush, fr. LL. pistare, fr. pinsere. See also {pestle}.] (Cookery) A sauce used in Italian cuisine, typically made by blending olive oil, basil, garlic, pine nuts, and grated parmesan cheese; it is served hot or cold over pasta, meat, or fish. Where pine nuts are expensive, sunflower seeds are sometimes substituted. [PJC]