Basil Pesto
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
5 mins
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Cook Time
25 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
4 servings
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Course
Side Dish, Condiments
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Cuisine
Italian
Basil Pesto
Description
This Basil Pesto starts by toasting pine nuts until golden in a dry pan, enhancing their flavor. Garlic is gently cooked in olive oil to mellow its sharpness before cooling. The basil leaves are picked clean of stems and roughly chopped in a food processor along with the cooled nuts, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Olive oil is added gradually during processing to create a sauce that is smooth yet rustic, preserving some texture. Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper finish the seasoning.
The resulting pesto offers bright herbal notes from the basil, nuttiness from the toasted pine nuts, and a creamy tang from the Parmesan. It can be tossed with cooked pasta, spread onto bread, used as a topping for grilled dishes, or incorporated into dressings. Adjust oil quantity to preference for thickness.
This preparation emphasizes fresh ingredients and simple steps to produce a classic pesto suitable for enhancing a range of dishes with its fragrant and savory qualities.
Ingredients
- 6 basil bunches
- 1.5 cups pine nuts
- 1 cup parmesan grated
- 3 cloves garlic
- sea salt flakes
- black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Toss the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium high heat until golden brown.
- Remove and allow to cool.
- Cook the garlic in a little olive oil until soft, remove and allow to cool.
- Pick all the leaves off the stems and discard the stems.
- Place all the leaves into a food processor and chop on high (you may need to add a little olive oil to get the leaves moving).
- Once they are very roughly chopped add the cooled nuts, garlic and parmesan cheese.
- Process on high and add the olive oil as you do, if you prefer a stiffer pesto, only add about half the olive oil.
- Process until rustically smooth.
- Season to taste with salt & pepper.
Notes
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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