Basil Pesto
Makes: approx. 250mL
The taste sensation of basil can be enjoyed year-round once you learn how to make basil pesto. Once made, it can be placed in sterile jars or frozen in family-sized quantities to make a quick and easy meal over a plate of pasta, or savoured over grilled fish or chicken, over steamed vegies or dolloped over delicious homemade pizza for an incomparable flavour hit.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 packed cups of basil
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 3 tbsp pine nuts (or substitute with other nuts, such as walnuts, unsalted pistachios or cashews)
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil + some extra
- ¼ tsp salt, or to taste
- To serve: add grated parmesan cheese
METHOD
1. Take the basil leaves off the stems and wash thoroughly. Shake off excess water.
2. Heat a small non-stick frying pan over low heat, add the pine nuts and brown gently. They burn easily so watch carefully until they are golden. (If using walnuts, you can skip this step).
3. Add the pine nuts to the basil and garlic in the bowl of a large food processor. Process until the ingredients are looking chopped up.
4. With the processor still running, add the salt and olive oil in a stream and continue to process until the pesto is your desired consistency.
5. Place the pesto in a small, sterilised jar or container so that it fills almost to the top. Cover the top of the pesto with a small amount of olive oil.
6. Keep refrigerated for up to a fortnight; or freeze and use later. Pesto should keep for at least 6 months in the freezer. When serving, add some grated parmesan cheese for extra flavour!
NOTE: You can also substitute coriander or parsley from the garden to make delicious herb pestos. These add a real flavour punch when stirred through minestrone soup or dolloped over steamed vegies.