Homemade Pesto
I don’t think there’s anything more comforting than a simple bowl of pasta with homemade pesto. It’s easy and fresh, and gosh, it disappears quickly. Who’s with me? I like to harvest all the basil from my garden–or pick up a big bag of it at the farmers’ market if I’m running low–and whip together a basic pesto to store in the refrigerator or freezer. Pesto is not only simple to make but extremely versatile–it’s equally great for tossing with grilled veggies as it is for folding into warm noodles. Do you have a favorite go-to recipe? Here’s mine.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup pine nuts (or try 1/4 pine nuts + 1/4 walnuts)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup good olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
INSTRUCTIONS
Place the pine nuts, garlic, basil, salt and pepper in a food processor. Process for 15 seconds. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl and continue processing until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and process until combined. Immediately transfer the pesto to a jar and top with a thin film of olive oil to prevent air from turning the pesto brown. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.