This pesto is fabulous spread on pizza or toasted bread (topped Caprese-style with tomato and fresh mozzarella), folded into warm pasta or stirred into a steamy bowl of soup. Double the recipe and freeze the extras for later.
Try substituting walnuts for some of the pine nuts.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups packed basil leaves
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts (or a mix of pine nuts and chopped walnuts)
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
Method:
- Blanch the basil leaves in boiling water for about 15 seconds, then remove from pan and quickly cool in a bowl filled with ice water. After cooling, remove leaves from the water and squeeze gently to extract as much water as possible.
- Chop basil, cheese, nuts, and garlic in a food processor until finely minced. Stop machine and scrape down sides of the bowl once or twice during processing.
- While machine is running, slowly add oil and process until incorporated. Add salt to taste.