Basil Pesto

I made pesto a few days ago after seeing that our basil plant was growing well. I have read in several websites that the more you harvest basil, the more it yields leaves. So harvest was what I did. 

With the coming of Fall though, the weather has been cooler and it has been raining a lot, so my poor plant looked like it is gonna die from too much moisture. I hope not. But if it does, I am glad to say that it lived a full, beautiful life. (Why do I feel like I am giving a eulogy?)

Anyway... I adapted the pesto recipe from my friend Peach's blog. Her daughter loves pesto, and of course, I trust the wisdom of a child. Especially when it comes to food! :-) Please visit her blog, her food and platings are awesome!


What you need:

about 50 pieces fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves of garlic
3 tablespoon pine nuts
4 tablespoon grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
salt and pepper, to taste


What to do:

Place the basil leaves in a food processor and pulse for about 2 or 3 times. Add the garlic, cheese, pine nuts, and about a tablespoonful of olive oil. Grind for about 10 seconds.

Slowly add in the rest of the oil in a constant stream while grinding. If you see that some of the leaves are stuck, scrape the sides of your food processor with a spatula. Add the cheese and pulse until well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks:

1. Substitute pine nuts with crushed almonds. (Thanks to my mother-in-law for the pine nuts! She made pesto too, and gave me about 2 cups of her leftover pine nuts.)
2. You can use regular grated parmesan cheese.
3. Pesto can be used in a lot of dishes! Spaghetti, toast, etc! I will post one on my next entry.
4. Freeze leftover pesto by putting it in a ziploc bag or an ice tray. It will keep for up to 2 months. 

P.S.

Speaking of Fall, check out this headband I made that would surely match your Fall outfits:

Click me!