Pesto
There are a lot of different pesto recipes, many that I would be embarrassed to call pesto, but this traditional recipe is the one that comes closest to what my Italian family makes. It is from the Italian cookbook by Kate Whiteman, Jen Wright, and Angela Boggiano which I have found to be spot on for most of their recipes.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup basil leaves fresh
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 Tbsp pine nuts
- ½ tsp salt
- 5 Tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 4 Tbsp Pecorino cheese grated
- black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Place basil, garlic, pine nuts, salt, and olive oil in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Place mixture in a bowl.
- Stir in cheeses and add pepper to taste.
Notes
If you are making a lot of pesto due to an abundance of basil in your garden, you can freeze the mixture after processing and before you add the cheeses. Then just thaw and add cheese when you want to use it.
If you don't use all of it at your dinner party, you can refrigerate the remainder, it will last for a couple of weeks, easily.