How to turn stale bread into ‘poor man’s pesto’

Bagnèt verd is a thrifty and tasty alternative to pesto, made with parsley instead of basil and stale bread instead of nuts and cheese

Bagnèt verd is a super-economical green sauce that originated in Piedmont, northern Italy. It’s a kind of poor-man’s pesto made with stale bread instead of pine nuts and cheese. The firmer the bread, the better, but any crusty loaf will do. As a wholefood lover, however, I like to use the robust crust from a dark brown sourdough, because not only does it have plenty of flavour and nutrition, but it also gives the sauce a wonderful texture.

Bagnèt verd is usually served with grilled tomino cheese or bollito misto, a traditional dish of slow-cooked meat, but it also works brilliantly alongside any simply cooked meat, fish or vegetable. You can introduce a further layer of flavour complexity by the optional addition of a few capers and a couple of umami-rich anchovy fillets, but even if it’s kept entirely plant-based and without the optional extras, this is a hugely tasty sauce that you may well find yourself slathering on just about everything you can, from a humble piece of toast to a magnificent roast dinner.