Simple Pesto Recipe:
- 2 Cups of Basil – or more, who measures Basil? We usually just use all that we have on hand, you can make larger or smaller batches depending on how much basil you have. You can use both the leaves and any non-woody stems.
- 1/2 Cup of Nuts - we like to use hulled pumpkin seeds, pine nuts are traditional, but people also use walnuts, almonds, pistachios or even peanuts for pestos, they all bring their own flavor profile to the table. Vary quantity as desired
- 1/4 cup of Olive Oil
- 3-6 Cloves of Garlic (to taste, we like ours garlicky!)
- 1/4 cup of Parmesan Cheese (optional, leave out to go vegan)
- 1/2 Tsp of Hot Pepper Flakes (optional, to give it a little spicy kick!)
Directions: In a food processor, blend all the ingredients together until smooth. Add more olive oil (or water) until you get the desired consistency. Store in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Note that pesto will naturally darken when refrigerated after a day or so, but it is still delicious and be tossed with pasta or served with crackers or used as a sandwich spread. You can also drizzle olive oil on top of it before storing in the fridge to help preserve the bright green color.
Freeze pesto for winter-use:
To preserve the freshness of basil, instead of drying it we like to make pesto out of our basil and freeze it in a cupcake tin to make pucks of pesto or an ice cube tray to make cubes. Pop them out once frozen and store in a freezer-safe glass container in the freezer such as a large wide-mouthed canning jar. This is a great winter-time meal that's easy, just get out a cube or puck of pesto, boil up some pasta, toss, and you have the freshness from your garden in the heart of winter! Or you can throw it into soups, sauces, and more.
