¾ to 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 minced garlic
½ cup pine nuts or walnuts
½ to 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Toast the nuts in a small skillet (don’t burn them) and cool. Toast the garlic until it has brown spots on all sides (this should remove the raw garlic flavor that can spoil so many homemade pestos). Place basil, nuts, Parmesan cheese, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until it turns into smooth paste. Slowly pour in oil. Mix in processor until combined.
- Did you know that walnuts could be stored in a freezer for long-term storage?
- Some recipes mix spinach with basil.
- Stir pesto into hot cooked pasta or use as a sauce for a Chicken-Pesto Pizza.
- If you’re going to store pesto, pour a bit of olive oil on top so it stays fresh
- Some people freeze pesto in ice cubes and then pop them into a bag for easy storage in the freezer, however, some chefs opt for freezing a basil puree which can be transformed into pesto after defrosting. This is how you would do it: Submerge basil leaves in boiling water and cook until soft, about 1 minute. Drain in a colander and cool with cold water. Drain again and press gently to remove excess water. Place in a food processor with a dash of salt and some olive oil. Process until pureed and freeze in small packages.
- For other ideas on how to use pesto, click here.
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