Homemade Pesto
I like using walnuts in my pesto. I have used toasted pine nuts and they make a great pesto, too. You can toast the chopped walnuts just until they begin to smell fragrant, then pull them off the heat and spread them out on a plate or sheet of wax paper to completely cool before adding them to the blender. You can skip the step of toasting the nuts if you’d prefer.
Have an abundance of basil this year? Make pesto! It does freeze well. You can place portions in ice cube trays or you can spread the pesto on a baking sheet about 1/2 thick, freeze it, then cut into squares and place them into freezer bags with a piece of parchment paper or wax paper in between each piece of frozen pesto.
There is a whole world of recipes online for using pesto. Here are just a couple where I have used this delicious ingredient!
Homemade Pesto
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 1/2-3/4 cup excellent-quality extra-virgin olive oil, begin with the smallest amount
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a food processor fitted with the blade or in the carafe of a blender, add the basil, nuts, cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper. Turn the blender or processor on low and begin adding the oil. Stop and scrap the sides of the bowl/carafe as needed while blending.
- Once you have the consistency you are happy with, taste for salt and pepper and adjust as needed.
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