Most modern recipes, including this one, call for making pesto with a food processor to combine the ingredients. This method works well, but produces a very homogenized final result.
For a more traditional approach, try hand-chopping the individual ingredients. The individual components will be less uniform, resulting in more distinct individual flavors among bites.
Recipe - Fresh Basil Pesto
This versatile, no-cook sauce can be enjoyed with many of your favorite pasta, fish, chicken, soup, or vegetable recipes.
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Fresh Basil loosely packed
- 1/4 Cup Toasted Pine Nuts
- 2-3 Cloves Garlic peeled (amount based on personal and strength of garlic variety used).
- 1/3 Cup really good extra virgin Olive Oil plus 2 tablespoons
- 2/3 Cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
- Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Remove basil leaves from stems, then wash and pat dry. Add basil, pine nuts, and peeled garlic gloves to food processor or blender. Quickly pulse until barely combined, then add 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil and blend thoroughly.
- Transfer to a medium glass bowl. Stir in Parmesan cheese and remaining olive oil to achieve the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Use immediately. Freeze leftovers in ice cube trays covered with a layer of olive oil. Once frozen, remove “pesto cubes” from trays and store in freezer-safe plastic bags for future use in soups or stews.
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