Nothing compares to the intoxicating aroma of a large bundle of fresh basil.
I don’t mean the sad looking prepackaged stack found in your average grocery store’s produce department in the middle of winter. I’m talking about the fresh basil you find at your local farmer’s market or growing in your garden or in your patio containers. Grab a bunch of those leafy green beauties and inhale deeply. It’s almost impossible to imagine anything but pure deliciousness being created with this vibrant, flavorful herb.
Pesto immediately comes to mind. This versatile favorite is yummy on top of your favorite pasta, gnocchi, or soup. Let it melt in to roasted veggies or toasted slices of baguettes. There are as many uses for pesto as there are recipes for making it. We’ll start with a simple, basic basil pesto. More creative recipes to follow!
Most recipes, including this one, call for making pesto with a food processor or blender to combine the ingredients. This method works well, and is an easy, quick way to produce a thick, creamy pesto.
For a more traditional approach, try hand-chopping the individual ingredients. The individual components that make up this recipe will be less uniform, resulting in more distinct individual flavors among bites. Whether you go high tech or old school, the addition of freh basil pesto is guaranteed to make your taste buds smile.
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Basic Fresh Basil Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil, loosely packed
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- 3-5 garlic cloves, peeled (amount based on personal taste and strength of garlic variety used).
- 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Remove basil leaves from stems, then wash and pat dry. Add basil, pine nuts, peeled garlic gloves and Parmesan cheese to food processor or blender. Quickly pulse until barely combined, then add 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil and blend thoroughly.
- Add remaining olive oil and/or additional grated Parmesan cheese to achieve the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Notes
- Using a really good extra virgin olive oil makes this pesto really sing.
- If possible, grate your own Parmesan Cheese from a nice chunk of cheese. Second best option is to use freshly grated cheese from the store. Always check the freshness date. Never, ever, use the thing masquerading as Parmesan cheese that comes in a cardboard green cylinder.
- Leftover pesto will keep in the refrigerator for 5-7 day; 3-4 months in the freezer. Place pesto in an airtight container and add a small coating of olive oil on top of the pesto to prevent pesto from browning.
- You can also freeze pesto in an ice cube tray and pop out a cube whenever the urge for pesto strikes.
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What's your favorite way to use pesto? Please share your secrets in the comments below.
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