Step 1

Fifteen minutes before baking, place the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. Have a popover pan or muffin tin ready.

Step 2

Combine the flour, eggs, milk, pesto sauce and salt in a food processor or blender and mix until smooth.

Step 3

Place the pan or tin in the oven and preheat it for 3 minutes. Remove it from the oven and brush the inside of the cups with the melted butter.

Step 4

Pour the batter into the cups, filling them almost to the top. (Popover pan will yield six; muffin tin will yield ten.) Bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375 degrees and continue to bake until the popovers are well browned, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Loosen from the sides of the pan, if necessary, and transfer to a wire rack. Serve immediately.

Step 5

If you don't have pesto, you can make them plain by using 2 tablespoons of melted butter instead. Or spice up the plain version with 1/2 teaspoon each of curry powder and ginger. There are lots of possibilities.