When our garden is growing great, and it’s time to turn the basil into pesto and freeze it for next year’s cooking! Just like the hummus, it is easy to make and very versatile.Try add-ins like sun-dried tomatoes or my favorite, lemon zest and lemon juice. Or, change the nuts to walnuts and the basil leaves to cilantro or parsley and fresh herbs. Have fun experimenting. The possibilities are endless.
2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
1/3 cup pine nuts
salt to taste
3/4 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
In the large bowl of a food processor, place all ingredients except the olive oil. Process until smooth, then scrape down the sides. With motor running, stream in the olive oil until pesto is smooth. Makes about 1 cup.
Serving ideas: Stir into your favorite pasta; top toasted slices of baguette with pesto, sliced mozzarella and cherry tomato for appetizers; use as a dressing on bean, potato or vegetable salads, etc.
Note To store pesto in the refrigerator, cover with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent darkening.
To freeze, immediately place in a zippered quart-sized freezer bag, remove the air and seal. I usually put one cup in each bag and freeze it flat. Then, when some is needed for a recipe, it’s easy to break off what you need of the frozen pesto and place the rest back in the freezer for a later use.
air and seal. I usually put one cup in each bag and freeze it flat. Then, when some is needed for a recipe, it’s easy to break off what you need of the frozen pesto and place the rest back in the freezer for a later use.