i have a giant crush on pesto. i would marry it if were legal to marry food. i love basil...the smell, the flavor...it's probably the perfect herb. i also love garlic and parmesan cheese, so it's only natural that i have great love for pesto.
this year, i finally got to plant some basil. i've always wanted to grow it in pots, but i never have. i vowed this year would be different. my plants are doing well...and they smell amazing. AMAZING.
many people like pesto but seem to think they can't make it at home. i assure you, it's super easy. you do need a food processor, but most of you have one of those, right? RIGHT? pesto is also one of those recipes where you can alter the ingredients to suit your taste. the measurements are only guidelines...not carved in stone. i prefer pesto on toasted pita bread (i'll post a recipe for this soon! SOOO tasty, SOOO easy) but it's also great on pasta, veggies or crackers. i could eat it just plain on a spoon.
pesto makes me happy... and i think it might make you happy, too.
pesto
*1 cup packed basil leaves
*1/2 cup pine nuts* (i buy these at a kitchen specialty store. you can substitute walnuts)
3-4 medium cloves of garlic (more is not better in this case), peeled
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/3-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
pinch kosher salt
i don't wash the basil unless it's really dirty. pat it dry if you need to rinse it. place the basil, garlic, pine nuts and parmesan in a food processor. toss in the pinch o salt. pulse until well blended. turn food processor onto lowest setting and drizzle the olive oil in until the pesto is the consistency you want.
i like to serve this immediately, as it will turn brown over time. it's great tossed with hot pasta. if you want to save it for a few days, pour a thin layer of olive oil on the top to keep it from darkening.
pita bread recipe soon, i promise!!
6 comments:
And this is why Santa better bring me a food processor attachment to my Bosch!!!
I have a pesto pasta recipe that I love and will share with you. I'll email it after this week and the fam is all gone.
I think we (you and me) should have a threesome with Pesto.
I planted THREE kinds. I can't wait until I have a cup worth of leaves and your PITA recipe.
Hurry please....
ooh, that sounds fresh and yummy! I will have to invest in a food processor I guess first! Can't wait to try it!
In addition to storing pesto with olive oil, it freezes well. I put mine in ice cube trays, then pop out the cubes and keep in a freezer container...it keeps me in "fresh" pesto well into winter, and is such an easy go-to dinner.
Totally made this tonight. I added extra parmesean and probably shouldn't. Good advice on the garlic though. Three cloves were perfect.
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