Are you a basil pesto lover?
Do you currently have an massive basil plant growing in your garden that needs a good trim?
I have a quick and EASY pesto recipe for you to try this week...
The process for making homemade basil pesto is quite simple – it's basically just a matter of putting everything in the food processor or blender and then blending or pulsing until you get the desired consistency.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups fresh basil leaves, removed from stems
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 2–3 cloves of garlic
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (try to use high quality fresh cheese rather than the stuff in the shaker)
- ¼ tsp salt + some on hand to adjust taste
- pinch of ground black pepper
- ¼ cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
- Splash of lemon juice (I use about ½ a lemon)
A couple of things to consider when making basil pesto:
- It's important that you use fresh high quality ingredients for this recipe. Good quality olive oil and good quality Parmesan cheese will make a world of difference when making pesto.
But If you prefer to see the garlic and basil separately with a seedy consistency, slowly pulse the ingredients together and add the olive at the end.
Here are a whole bunch of great ideas on how to use your yummy garden fresh basil pesto:
- As a spread for sandwiches and wraps
- Pizza sauce
- Topping for grilled chicken. beef, or fish
- In dips and sauces
- On roasted, grilled or steamed vegetables
- As a topping on crackers or crostini
- Mixed into soup, stews, and chili dishes
- On toast with tomatoes or avocado
- To make a delicious vegetable dip
- As part of a marinade or rub for meats, chicken, pork, beef, fish or tofu
- To top baked or mashed potatoes as an alternative to butter
- As a topping for bruschetta
- In risotto or other grain dishes
- To make an herbed breadcrumb coating for fish and vegetables
- As part of a vinaigrette dressing
- On top of grilled cheese sandwiches or paninis
- Add to homemade hummus
- As an ingredient in savoury muffins and breads.
- In soup or stew to enhance the flavour
- As part of a marinade for meats, poultry, fish, or vegetables
- In pasta salads with tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and feta cheese
- To make herbed oil for dipping breads such as focaccia
- To top grilled portobello mushrooms
- In omelets, scrambles, and frittatas
- Mixed into cream cheese to spread on bagels and toast.
I hope you are inspired to start making this easy and DELICIOUS basil pesto recipe.
Bon Appétit!
xx
Britt
