Pesto

Summer is not summer without pesto! It's wonderful on pasta, veggies, bread, anything!! So this year I am growing a few basil plants since I don't want to go broke trying to buy fresh basil to feed my addiction. I made my first batch this past weekend and it turned out great. The following is my favorite recipe. It is very simply, and full flavored! Since this is a simple recipe, I rarely measure anything since it's easy to eyeball.

You will need:

4 cups of fresh basil

approximately 1/3 cup olive oil (use good quality extra virgin, it's worth it!)

1/3 cup pine nuts (a small handful) - toasted

2-3 garlic cloves

about 1/2 cup parmesan (a good handful)

kosher salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

To toast the pine nuts, just put them in a pan over medium heat for a few minutes, don't let them get more than a golden brown, they are very oily and burn quickly!

Combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, and parmesan in a food processor and let it go until it's become a paste. While the food processor is still going, drizzle in the olive oil a little at a time until it is the consistency you like, you really just want to add moisture and a little flavor, don't over do it. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To store, keep in an airtight container and you may also want to put plastic wrap over it because it will discolor a bit if exposed to air.

You can also freeze it!! Before freezing drizzle a little olive oil over it so it doesn't discolor. You will be glad you saved some when december rolls around....!!!

My absolute favorite pesto dish is a pasta dish. I saute fresh chopped mushrooms with a little garlic, salt, and pepper. I add cooked noodles (I like a curly shape that holds lots of sauce in them) and heat them through with the mushrooms, add fresh chopped tomatoes, and deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine. I remove it from the heat once the wine has cooked out, and I add some pesto, just enough to coat all the pasta, and serve with some extra parmesan on top. It is so simple, and so tasty!