Perfectly pleasing pesto
Ingredients
1/4 to 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted a bit in a dry, nonstick skillet over medium low heat.
1 smallish garlic clove
Juice of half a lemon, about 2 tablespoons
2 cups basil leaves, packed fairly firm
Palmful of parsley, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil or more to taste
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated or more to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
In a food processor, combine nuts, garlic and lemon juice. Pulse until well chopped.
Add basil and parsley and pulse until combined. With food processor running, pour olive oil in real slow until mixture is well combined.
Add cheese, pulse to combine, then add salt and pepper to taste.
If too thick, add a bit more olive oil.
Pesto possibilities
So many!
• My friend, Kate, makes a pesto goat cheese torte. Mix goat cheese with a bit of cream, line a 2 cup bowl with plastic wrap and make layers of goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes and pesto. Refrigerate, then turn out. Serve alone with crostini or as part of a charcuterie tray.
• Toss with hot pasta. When tossing with pasta, thin with a bit of pasta water so that pesto coats the pasta nicely.
• Smear on garlic bread before running under broiler.
• Spread a thin layer on Boboli pizza shell, then top with fresh mozzarella and bake.
• Drizzle on thickly sliced tomatoes.
• Stir into vegetable soups right before serving.
• Dice peeled potatoes in chunky 1” pieces. Toss with pesto. Roast in single layer at 400 until tender, about 30 minutes.