Pesto Recipe

1 clove garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup walnuts
2 cups loosely packed fresh basil
1/4-1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (fresh grated is SOO much better)*

Add garlic, pine nuts and walnuts to blender or food processor (I use my mini-chopper) and chop until nuts are chopped (yeah, I know, useful). Add basil and pulse. If your processor/chopper/blender has a lid you can pour through or remove during the chopping, add oil gradually. Most fp’s or choppers have tiny holes in the top to accomplish this.

*If you are not freezing the pesto, add parm and then chop/blend until the ingredients are well blended. If you are freezing the pesto, leave the cheese out and add it when you make your pasta. I have read conflicting reports about freezing cheese. I figure, why take a chance. I like cheese too much. I add it later (that way I can add more too).

When I first started making pesto, the recipes I found had too much olive oil for me. Add more if you want your pesto a bit smoother. It’s all a matter of taste. You can’t go wrong with it. You can also omit the nuts if you have allergies in your family but you might need to cut the oil a bit more. Also, if the 100% basil mixture it too much, swap in some spinach. It is excellent that way as well!