Ahhh basil. A beautiful and fragrant herb that makes so many dishes just that much more delicious!
I've always loved basil but around here it can be hard to find outside of summertime, unless you want to pay $10 for a teeny bunch of it. So when I discovered a genius tip to grow basil, my basil plants have never been more prolific! I have more than I know what to do with, but I am going to try my hardest to harvest and use every bit of basil I can. I'm making pesto, basil butter, I'm drying it, freezing it and eating as much fresh basil as humanly possible!
One of the first things I wanted to do, was make homemade pesto. I love pesto, and had no idea it was so easy to make at home. SO easy. Like 5 minutes easy. Love. That.
So forget that $10 jar of pesto on the grocery shelf, grab your food processor and let's make some of our own!
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
- Using a food processor, blend together the basil, pine nuts, garlic and Parmesan cheese, until it is a rough paste.
- Then while the processor is running, slowly pour in the olive oil (through the tube), until combined. The pesto should be a semi-thick paste.
- If the pesto is too dry, just add more olive oil.
- Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking
There. Wasn't that SO simple? Now that you've made some pesto, here are some great ways to enjoy it!
- Toss it with pasta.
- Toss with steamed vegetables like green beans or potatoes.
- Use as a spread on sandwiches (it's awesome with salami or a Bocconcini & tomato sandwich).
- Add as a topping to soups and stews.
Stay tuned, because I have THE most delicious soup that you can use this pesto in, coming up on Monday! Yummm
Have a delicious day!