la pasta al pesto (2024)

A Genova

e un piatto molto gustoso. Can I translate 'la pasta al pesto' to

? Am I right?

I was curious about the meaning of "pesto" in pesto sauce. Based on the WR Dictionaries, pesto means "ground" or "crushed", so I am guessing the sauce gets its name from the crushed/ground basil, pine nuts and other ingredients.
Does anyone know if this is correct?

(The question came up as I was talking to an acquaintance who is of half-Spanish and half-Italian descent, but she speaks more Spanish (and English) than Italian. "Pesto" in Spanish means "I stink (smell badly)," and since Italian and Spanish have so many roots in common, my first guess was that "pesto" might have something to do with aroma, but that would appear to be totally incorrect.)

EDIT: Checking with Wikipedia, assuming they are right, confirms that the term comes from crushing various ingredients with a mortar and pestle.
If an Italian Mod wants to delete this post, feel free. I am leaving it for the present, as Wikipedia isn't always 100% accurate, and there might be some interesting native-Speaker input.

jbruceismay said:

"Pesto" in Spanish means "I stink (smell badly),"

Click to expand...

Actually pesto in Spanish only means the Italian sauce. "I stink" is "apesto".

jbruceismay,
Absolutely correct. Pesto means crushed, bashed. The name of the sauce comes from crushing all ingredients together in the mortar. (Most of us from that region use a mixer or a food processor instead of a mortar nowadays, but the name still holds. )

Italian and Spanish have so many roots in common, and share even more false friends.

MünchnerFax said:

jbruceismay,
Absolutely correct. Pesto means crushed, bashed. The name of the sauce comes from crushing all ingredients together in the mortar. (Most of us from that region use a mixer or a food processor instead of a mortar nowadays, but the name still holds. )

Italian and Spanish have so many roots in common, and share even more false friends.

Click to expand...

Presumably then, the 'pestle' that accompanies the mortar is connected to pesto?