FRESH BASIL PESTO
Ingredients
- 2 cups basil leaves packed (can sub half the basil leaves with baby spinach)
- 1/2 cup romano or Parmesan cheese (about 2 oz)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup pine nuts (can sub chopped walnuts)
- 3 cloves garlic minced (about 3 tsp)
- salt & pepper freshly ground, to taste
Instructions
- Place the basil leaves and pine nuts into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a several times.
- Add the garlic and Parmesan or Romano cheese and pulse several times more. Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula.
- While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady small stream. Adding the olive oil slowly, while the processor is running, will help it emulsify and help keep the olive oil from separating. Occasionally stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor.
- Stir in some salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Toss with pasta for a quick sauce, dollop over baked potatoes, or spread onto crackers or toasted slices of bread.
Special equipment needed:
- A food processor
Notes
Basil pesto darkens when exposed to air, so to store, cover tightly with plastic wrap making sure the plastic is touching the top of the pesto and not allowing the pesto to have contact with air. The pesto will stay greener longer that way
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!