Basil Pesto
A flavorful spread made with fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic and fresh parmesan that is perfect as a sandwich spread, pasta sauce, dip or topping.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces of pine nuts
- 1/2 cup of parmesan, finely shredded
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced or crushed
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups of fresh basil, hand torn
- 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Combine 4 ounces of pine nuts, 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan, 3 cloves of finely minced or crushed garlic and 1 1/2 - 2 cups of fresh hand torn basil leaves in a food processor and pulse until mostly broken down
- Add about 1/3 cup of the olive oil along with a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice and a pinch of salt and black pepper and blend until the pesto reaches your preferred texture
- Add the remaining olive oil if thinning is desired
- Taste and add additional salt, if necessary
- Store in an airtight container
- Pesto will store well in the refrigerator for up to a week and keeps best if covered with a thin layer of olive oil to protect the pesto from air