Basil Pesto made from scratch
Basil pesto is an easy make-ahead meal prep sauce that I love. Gather your fresh basil, olive oil, garlic + salt and let’s make basil pesto!
Basil Pesto with Susan Belsinger
A simple thing really, garlic, pine nuts, salt, parmesan cheese, olive oil, and basil… lots of basil. I had the honor of crushing the leaves in the large mortar & pestle she brought with her.
The mortar and pestle really does make a difference when making basil pesto.
I used to be that way before Susan’s workshop. Currently, I only have a small mortar that I use to crush herbs & spices so I have to rely on my food processor (someday, I hope they make one that is lightweight and easy to clean). But if I had my druthers, I would make my pesto in a mortar & pestle. Oh, I can still remember how good it was. The basil was pungent and the texture smooth and creamy, it melted in your mouth.
While the batch from the food processor was good, the pesto wasn’t as flavorful.
I guess the bruising of the basil from the pestle enhanced the flavor. Trust me, it’s different.
Anyway, I strongly suggest that if you ever get the chance to compare these two methods of pesto making, that you do so. Make a huge batch and freeze some, that will make it worth your while. I use fresh pesto on Grilled Pizza, Pesto Shrimp and Angel Hair Pasta, Ricotta Gnocchi.
Garden Fresh Pesto
Ingredients
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/4 cup pine nuts (or walnuts)
- 4 cups fresh basil leaves
- Sea Salt
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
In a food processor, combine garlic, pine nuts, and basil. Pulse until a paste forms. Add a couple of pinches of salt. Add olive oil slowly and process until mixed well. Add grated cheese and pulse again until smooth. Check seasoning and add salt if needed.
Tip: If you didn’t eat it all with a bowl of pasta, on your pizza or gnocchi, then you can freeze in ice cube trays. Better than store-bought and you can enjoy a little taste of summer in the middle of winter.
You make the pesto sound so heavenly with the description of the aromas. Your photos are beautiful. This story makes me want to make some pesto right now. I am thinking that maybe some pounding of the basil before placing in the food processor may get the flavor more like as if it was done in the mortar and pestle method.
Thank you, JoAnn. I love the first basil of the season, so fresh! That is a great idea about punding the basil pre-food processor. I will have to try that.