Basil Pesto
By Yankee Magazine|Sep 06 2002|
Serve pesto on fresh pasta, spread on a halved baguette and broiled, or as a pizza topping. This recipe calls for basil, but you can experiment with other herbs such as parsley, thyme, tarragon, and cilantro. If you’re a garlic fan, feel free to use more.
Yield:
1 to 1-1/2 cups
Ingredients
3 cloves garlic
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 to 1 cup good-quality olive oil
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
In a blender or food processor, combine garlic, basil leaves, nuts, salt, pepper, and half the oil. Puree, slowly adding remaining oil. If using immediately, stir in grated cheese; if not, freeze mixture in zip-lock bag, squeezing out any air. (Pesto turns brown when exposed to air.) Add cheese before serving.
