Pesto is made to taste, therefore, adjust the ingredients to taste. Sub out spinach for basil if you do not quite have enough basil on hand. Also, basil pesto recipes often call for pine nuts but you can easily substitute walnuts which I almost often use.
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Total Time 15 minutesminutes
Servings 1cup
Author Elise Bauer from Simply Recipes
Ingredients
2cupsfresh basil leavespacked (can sub half the basil leaves with baby spinach)
½cupfreshly grated Romano or Parmesan-Reggiano cheeseabout 2 ounces
½cupextra virgin olive oil
⅓cuppine nutscan sub chopped walnuts
3garlic clovesminced (about 3 teaspoons)
¼teaspoonsaltmore to taste
⅛teaspoonfreshly ground black peppermore to taste
Instructions
Pulse basil and pine nuts in a food processor: Place the basil leaves and pine nuts into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a several times.
Add the garlic and cheese: Add the garlic and Parmesan or Romano cheese and pulse several times more. Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula.
Stream in the olive oil: While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady small stream. Adding the olive oil slowly, while the processor is running, will help it emulsify and help keep the olive oil from separating. Occasionally stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor.
Stir in salt and freshly ground black pepper, add more to taste. Toss with pasta for a quick sauce, dollop over baked potatoes, or spread onto crackers or toasted slices of bread.