Classic Pesto

I love basil. It's true. And it's rather an extreme love. It is now to the point where if I see two things at a restaurant that I want, or I see a couple of recipes I want to make, I will almost always go for the one with the basil even if I've eaten it a million times before (I have the same issue with caramelized onions and tomato, but that's another story). I just can't resist that delicious, light, herb flavor. And the pretty green. I'm a sucker for when my food looks pretty, and green happens to be my favorite color.

Anyway, pesto is one of those things that I love but can be slightly intimidating to make. I feel like I've never made a really killer pesto before, and I always seem to be disappointed this elusive green sauce. I find that a lot of pesto dishes that I've tried are really lacking in flavor. That rich, herb, basil flavor that I want out of my pesto usually isn't there. It's mostly olive oil and cheese with a hint of basil if you're lucky. I tried this recipe with hesitation because we had a giant bush of basil in our garden that needed to be used up, and a girl can only make so many caprese salads (well not this girl, but this girl's husband can't eat it for every meal like she can). So, pesto was the obvious answer. I wanted this pesto to be deep in basil flavor with a good texture, not oily, bitter or flavorless...and it was! This pesto has such a strong basil flavor but wasn't overpowering, and was so nicely balanced by the nutty flavor of the roasted pine nuts and roasted garlic. The key to this recipe is to use as little oil as possible so as not to make a greasy mess. The other key is to pound the basil before blending it. The bruising helps to release the juices and all that good, fresh basil flavor. We used it on gnocchi, sandwiches, and just plain old pasta, and every time it delivered like I always dreamed pesto should. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!







Classic Pesto adapted from New Best Recipe Cookbook
1/4 cup pine nuts, walnuts, or almonds
3 medium garlic cloves
2 cups packed fresh basil leaved
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
   Salt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1, Toast the nuts in a small, heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until just golden brown and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a plate.
2. Add the garlic to the empty skillet with the peel still on. Toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant and the color of the cloves deepens slightly, about 7 minutes. Let the garlic cool, then pool and chop.
3 Combine the basil and parsley (if using) in heavy-duty gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Pound the bag with the flat side of a meat pounder or rolling pin until all the leaves are bruised.
4. Place the nuts, garlic, pounded herb(s), oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth, stopping as necessary to scrape down the sides. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl, stir in the Parmesan, and adjust the salt to taste. (The surface of the pesto can be covered with a thin film of oil and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)