Gourmet Greatrix: Pesto

Fresh Pesto is such a simple thing to make and the result is far superior to the store bought variety. The main downside to making it yourself is that you end up with far more than you will use before the basil loses it's wonderful green colour and turns black. I get around this problem by freezing left-overs in an ice cube try and then transferring to a zip lock bag. Pesto cubes can then be easily defrosted as you need them. Pesto spread on pizza dough and baked thin and crispy with lots of mozzarella is one of my all time favourites.

Recipe:

4 oz
1 oz
2
2 oz
4 fl.oz.
1 pinch

basil leaves, washed and dried
pine nuts
peeled garlic cloves
parmesan cheese, grated
extra virgin olive oil
salt

Lightly toast the pine nuts in a skillet till golden brown, this encourages the nuts to release all their natural oils and their flavour. Remove from pan and let cool.
Place the cool pine nuts, basil, garlic, parmesan, salt in a blender or food processor and process till chopped, add the olive oil and process again to combine.
Store in an airtight container with a layer of olive oil on the surface, to stop any air reaching the pesto. Will last for several weeks in the refrigerator or can be frozen.

Posted by Victoria : June 18, 2004 07:20 PM to Condiments & Sauces | Freezer Friendly
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