When you have fresh basil, it is hard to resist making a
pesto. This is the basic recipe, though you can vary it according to your
taste.
Makes about one cup of pesto.
4-5 cups fresh basil leaves
½ cup olive oil
⅓ cup pine nuts
2-3 garlic cloves
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup freshly grated Pecorino, Sardo or another
hard flavorful cheese
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- Combine first 4 ingredients in food processor or blender.
- Blend until a paste is formed, stopping often to push down basil.
- Add the cheeses and salt and blend until smooth.
If you are not going to use to pesto immediately, blend the
first four ingredients and freeze. Then,
when you want to use it the pesto, defrost, add the cheese and salt and blend
again.
Variants: some recipes call for the addition of 2 tablespoons of
lemon juice. Others call for you to blanche the basil (put it into boiling
water for about 30 seconds), remove immediately and drain well, squeezing out
as much of the water as possible. (This is supposed to keep the basil bright
green.)
