Pesto where it is known as "pistou". In contrast with "pesto alla genovese", "pistou" is generally made with olive oil, basil and garlic only: while cheese may be added, usually no nuts are included in a traditional "pistou" because no pine trees grow there to provide the nuts. "Pistou" is used in the typical "soupe au pistou", a hearty vegetable soup with "pistou" flavour. The sauce did not originally contain basil, however; instead, cheese and olive oil were the main constituents. Sometimes almonds are used instead of pine nuts, and sometimes mint leaves are mixed in with the basil leaves. It
Garlic sauce in various cuisines. Mujdei is a spicy sauce in Romanian cuisine made from garlic cloves crushed and ground into a paste, salted and mixed with water and vegetable oil. Sunflower oil is almost always used. Skordalia is a thick puree (or sauce, dip, spread, etc.) in Greek cuisine made by combining crushed garlic with a bulky base—which may be a purée of potatoes, walnuts, almonds, or liquid-soaked stale bread—and then beating in olive oil to make a smooth emulsion. Vinegar is often added. Ta'leya is a garlic sauce in Egyptian cuisine made by frying garlic and adding vinegar and spices.