basil pesto

Name: Basil Pesto
Prep time: 20 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 3 clove(s) garlic (up to 5); 1 cup(s) pine nuts, slivered almonds or walnut halves; 2 tablespoon(s) parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated, optional; 1 teaspoon(s) freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon(s) fine sea salt; 4 cup(s) fresh basil leaves, packed, chopped; 1/2 cup(s) extra virgin olive oil (plus more for storage); 2 - lemons, juiced; - crushed red pepper flakes, optional

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Vicki Butts (lazyme)

Grapeview, WA

Updated on Sep 22, 2015

A very versatile sauce that can be tossed with linguine, or used as a spread for sandwiches.

Rate

prep time 20 Min

cook time

method No-Cook or Other

yield 2 cups

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic (up to 5)
1 cup pine nuts, slivered almonds or walnut halves
2 tablespoons parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated, optional
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed, chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (plus more for storage)
2 - lemons, juiced
- crushed red pepper flakes, optional

How To Make basil pesto

Step 1

Put the garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Toss in the nuts, Parmesan, if using, pepper and salt and chop until the nuts are finely crushed, about 1 minute. Add the basil, oil and lemon juice and pulse for 1 minute more, until smooth. Stir in red pepper flakes, if desired.

Step 2

To store, transfer the pesto to a sterilized jar with a tight-fitting lid. Pour a thin layer of olive oil on top of the pesto, seal and refrigerate up to 10 days or freeze up to 3 months.
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