BASIL PESTO

Pesto is one of my favorite, use-it-on-anything, type of sauces. Of course we mix it in our pastas, but it also finds its way to our sandwiches, poached eggs, grilled meats and veggies, or in the middle of our table as a dip for bread. Whatever you can imagine, I’m certain pesto will make it better!

This is a recipe for basil pesto, but feel free to switch out the basil for different herbs like mint or parsley, or a combination of your favorites. Also, you can substitute the pine nuts with toasted walnuts, pistachios, almonds, or cashews. When using a different cheese, just be sure to stay with a hard cheese, like Pecorino or Grana Padano. The options can be endless!

Basil Pesto

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Condiment

Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean

Servings 2

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 Cups Fresh Basil Leaves or 3 “Handfuls”
• 1/3 Cup Toasted Pine Nuts
• 1 Garlic Clove grated with a microplane or pressed through a garlic press.
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice *a good squeeze of Lemon, adding more according to your taste.
• Pinch Salt & Pepper, or to taste
• 1/3 Cup Olive Oil plus or minus, depending on consistency desired
• 1/3 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

 

• Using a food processor is easiest, but you could also use a blender, or even a mortar & pestle.
• In the food processor add the Basil Leaves, Toasted Pine Nuts, Garlic, Lemon Juice, Salt and Pepper, and 1/2 of the Olive Oil. Pulse a few times, or about 30 seconds to start getting everything to come together.

  Add in the Parmesan Cheese and turn the food processor back on. While it’s running, drizzle in the rest of the Olive Oil. Allow the ingredients to become blended together.

  If after a minute, if you feel it needs more oil, drizzle in a little more and blend. Alternatively, you can add a drizzle of water at the end with the food processor running, if you feel it needs more of a liquid consistency.
• *If you need to do this in a mortar & pestle, it is best to start with the Garlic, Salt & Pepper. Mash all of that together and add the Pine Nuts. Crush them, blending them into the mixture. Add in the Basil leaves, (that have been very finely chopped), and blend in.

  Place the ingredients in a bowl and drizzle in 1/2 of the Olive Oil until everything is blended. Add in the Parmesan Cheese, mix, then drizzle in the rest of the Olive Oil.

Notes

Feel free to combine other herbs, nuts, and cheeses to create a variety of pesto:

Other Herbs: Mint, Parsley, or a combo of these. 

Other Nuts: Toasted Walnuts, Pistachios, Almonds, or Cashews

Other Cheeses: Pecorino, Grana Padano, or Asiago. 

Keyword Basil, Pesto

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