Pesto

Basil Leaves
Basil Leaves

Pesto needs no introduction in any Mediterranean kitchen. It is definitely a staple in my pantry as it is so easy to whip up a quick meal when you in a hurry.

I usually grow basil in a pot just so I could place it in my bay window and have it be easy to access while cooking.  I find that it would get root bound too fast this way  and start turning yellow in a matter of weeks, so this year I decided to grow them in between my rose bushes and let them grow freely.  And wow, did they like this so much more!!

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There are many ways to make pesto…with cheese, without cheese, with pine nuts or walnuts, with basil or parsley…so use whatever you have and adjust or substitute to your taste.

Ingredients

2 cups fresh basil leaves packed
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts
3 medium garlic cloves
salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine the basil and the pine nuts and pulse a few times in a food processor.
Add the garlic and cheese and pulse a few times more.

Pine Nuts
Pine Nuts

Slowly add the olive oil in constant stream while the processor is on. Stop and scrape down the sides of the food processor.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with pasta, baked potato or spread on your favourite sandwich.

Pesto
Pesto

From Simply Recipes

10 thoughts on “Pesto”

  1. Wow G beautiful pesto they are so tasty and so useful for everything from Pasta to Pizza huh! I also like making them with rockets too! Thanks for sharing as always love your pictures make me so hungry!!!

    1. I don’t know why, but I’ve never used it on pizza…I just don’t think of it. But I just had ftira with oven dried tomatoes and a slather of this pesto and they partnered very well:) A quickie but definitely very tasty condiment to have!

  2. Hi Georgina I love reading your blog! If you are into a bit of foraging, try substituting nettles for the basil! Just use the new tops of the nettles, blanch and use as in your recipe- full of iron and other minerals!

    1. Rosa, are we talking about nettles what we used to find at the back of our house in Malta? They used to scare the bejeebers out of me! Or are they different nettles? I’m intrigued now…never thought of putting nettles in any of my food but will definitely look out for it. Where does one find nettles here I wonder.

      Thanks for the tip…love hearing from you Rosa…xx

  3. Yes stinging nettles! Hurrieq! Make sure you wear extra thick gloves and pick new leaves they are tender! As soon as you wet them they loose their sting! Always found in very fertile soil so around compost heaps! Some butterflies rely on them! Best time is spring time and early summer in UK
    I make a delicious soup too, tried many but my favourite is the plain one just using onions and nettles! Served with plain yoghurt! Look on web plenty of ideas!
    Xxxx

    1. Haqqalmadoffi! I have a trail right behind me…I’m going a nettle hunting this weekend…I’m sure I’ll find plenty there 🙂 Awesome, and thanks for sharing Rosa…I’m loving the idea!

  4. Hi Georgina! I always tell myself one day I need to try making pesto. I’m totally craving it now! And that’s so great you have fresh basil right at your fingertips. Fresh pesto is a world of difference from the premade kind. I’ll have to put this on my to-make list (and I would probably use pine nuts with the cheese)!

    1. The only thing that keeps me from making it, is that I find it turns brownish in colour…but it does add a lot to a dish and luckily it disappears 🙂

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