Making basil pesto is actually dead easy and super quick. I'd say you'll spend 10 minutes max (and that's being generous) from start to end, I don't know why I didn't make it sooner (as in go buy some basil and pine nuts etc.). I have eaten basil pesto before but that was years ago, first time was in Italy, second time in England. My conclusion: homemade fresh pesto is the best. I also think the addition of your added love because you made it also adds to how wonderful it is.
So here it is, my little recipe for basil pesto, wonderfully written in the best recipe wording I can do ;)
Basil Pesto
1 cup basil.
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 clove of garlic
1 clove of garlic
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or as fancy people call it, EVOO. I suggest a mild flavoured olive oil.
Optional: 1/4 cup cheese you like/can eat, I added in a little bit of Liddell's lactose free cheese.
Wash your basil. Give it a good rinse and make sure you get any dirt or sneaky bugs if you've picked it straight from the garden. If you got it from the shops, still give it a rinse.
Dry off that delicious basil and put to the side, make sure you get rid of most of the water. Salad spinners are pretty nifty for that sort of thing.
Grab out a frying pan and on medium-high heat toast those delicious pine nuts. If you are likely to get side-tracked like me, low heat is better, less chance of burning them haha.
Using a food processor or even a stick blender, throw in the basil, pine nuts, garlic and cheese if you want it. Now blitz that delicious combo to a roughly smooth paste. If you're using a food processor, while you've got it going, add in the oil slowly. It is up to you what consistency you want your pesto so you can add all the 1/2 cup of olive oil, or just half, it's up to you! If you use a stick blender, you may not be able to blend and add the oil at the same time, so just add little bits as you blend until you get the consistency you want.
That's it! You've made basil pesto! Pretty simple and easy hey. Just pop it into a jar and it will keep for a good couple of days...if you can hold off that long!
2 ways to use it:
Basil pesto pasta!
Cook up some spaghetti and stir through a good lot of pesto and wa-lah! An easy delicious meal as you can see in the photographs!
On toast.
Spread a freshly toasted delicious piece of toast with some pesto and you won't regret it!
Enjoy lovelies!
Optional: 1/4 cup cheese you like/can eat, I added in a little bit of Liddell's lactose free cheese.
Wash your basil. Give it a good rinse and make sure you get any dirt or sneaky bugs if you've picked it straight from the garden. If you got it from the shops, still give it a rinse.
Dry off that delicious basil and put to the side, make sure you get rid of most of the water. Salad spinners are pretty nifty for that sort of thing.
Grab out a frying pan and on medium-high heat toast those delicious pine nuts. If you are likely to get side-tracked like me, low heat is better, less chance of burning them haha.
Using a food processor or even a stick blender, throw in the basil, pine nuts, garlic and cheese if you want it. Now blitz that delicious combo to a roughly smooth paste. If you're using a food processor, while you've got it going, add in the oil slowly. It is up to you what consistency you want your pesto so you can add all the 1/2 cup of olive oil, or just half, it's up to you! If you use a stick blender, you may not be able to blend and add the oil at the same time, so just add little bits as you blend until you get the consistency you want.
That's it! You've made basil pesto! Pretty simple and easy hey. Just pop it into a jar and it will keep for a good couple of days...if you can hold off that long!
2 ways to use it:
Basil pesto pasta!
Cook up some spaghetti and stir through a good lot of pesto and wa-lah! An easy delicious meal as you can see in the photographs!
On toast.
Spread a freshly toasted delicious piece of toast with some pesto and you won't regret it!
Enjoy lovelies!
