Pesto Sauce Recipe

[Leah and peeps]

Hi Everyone,

I've only tried this recipe once, but I enjoyed it so much I thought that I'd share it with you. It's from "David Rocco's Dolce Vita" book. I love pesto!
First here are some tips directly out of the book.

1. First make sure your basil leaves are completely dry. Water will make your pesto turn brownand spoil sooner. Wash basil well, then spin it in a salad spinner to get all the water out, and pat dry with a cloth. I prefer to use Genovese basil, which has smaller leaves and, I think, a sweeter taste.

2. Garlic? Well, deffinitly QB. I know that people get a little crazy when it comes to Italian cooking and think that garlic makes it authentic. But it is raw garlic, so you have to be careful. Too much and your in danger of overpowering everything with a bitter garlic aftertaste. That's not a great thing in my opinion, in a suace that's made to take advantage of lovely sweet basil.

3. I like to use corse sea salt. The texture of the salt actually helps grind the leaves, to get all the great fragrance and oils out of the basil.

4. Oh yeah, about the pine nuts: I like to lightly toast them. This isn't necessary, and true Genovesse pesto does not call for it, but I like the nutty falvour brought out by toasting. It only takes a few minutes. Throw them into a dry frying pan on low heat and keep your eye on them, because they are dlicate and can burn quickly.

5. Last thing: Parimgiano-Reggiano. Make sure you always buy fresh Parmigiano. Don't buy the pre-grated stuff. You don' know what your getting.

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4 cups (1L) fresh bail leaves, washed and throughly dried
1/2 cup (125ml) pine nuts, toasted
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tsp (7ml) course sea salt
1 cup (250ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup (250ml) freashly grated Pamigiano-Reggiano cheese

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Put your basil, pine nuts, garlic, and salt into your *motar and, with the pestle, begin to press and mulch all the ingredients into a paste. Slowly drizzle in some olive oil until it's the texture you like. Now add your Parmigiano to the mortar and mix until it's thoroughly combined and there's an even consistency.

To keep your pesto from spoiling, make sure you top your jar with extra-virgin olive oil, and store in the fridge.

*I followed the same steps but made my pesto in a food processer instead of using a mortar.

MAKES 2 TO 3 CUPS (500 to 750ml)

Enjoy!

 

[KenK]

Love, love, love the fresh basil in the summertime. Very easy to grow in a container and with it right outside the door we eat it on just about everything as long as it lasts.

I'm not a huge fan of pine nuts but freely admit that may be because the ones available here in the hinterlands are subpar. I prefer walnuts in my pesto which one of my wife's California relatives kindly provide us with.

 

[2DogsFarm]

I've subbed sunflower seeds for the pine nuts - cheaper & easier to find.

I make pesto in my blender then freeze it in Tablespoonfuls on a cookie sheet.
Once frozen solid, I put them into a freezer bag & take out as much as I need.

 

[bigmike&nan]

My old boss at IBM and his wife used to get huge bouquets of basil at the Farmer's Market in San Jose and spend a day making pesto - they would use ice cube trays to freeze it up in, then when well set transfer that to zipper storage bags to use when needed.

 

[oberhaslikid]

Favorite Pesto:

3 tablespoons pine nuts (toasted)
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic
1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch cracked black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
3 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino
10 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Add first seven ingredients to food processor and pulse til blended. Slowly stream in the EVOO.

 

[rancher hicks]

Now when it says cups of basil. Does this mean you wash and dry the leaves and then fill the measuring cup with the dried leaves? Packed in tight or loosely?

Does anyone have a dried tomato pesto recipe or any other pesto recipe?

Thanks

Rancher

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Can you can this stuff or is it freezer only? Thanks!

 

[flowerchild59]

I like to add some avocado in place of the olive oil. It is thick and makes a great sandwich spread.
I use other nuts in place of the pine nuts at times. I have used walnuts, raw pumpkin seeds, and have used a couple of brazil nuts. I pinch of vit. c powder keeps it from turning gray so quickly.

 

[Anna_B_Happy]

Quote:
SMART!!! i will try that!

 

[SarahBeth9394]

Quote:
I've never had pesto sauce because I don't like pine nuts. My mom raved about how great they were and I tried one... just one. And YUCK. I have a ton of basil and it's almost ready for another harvest. Thank for the sunflower seed suggestion. I've balked at making pesto just because of the pine nuts.

Also I would like to know about the measuring of the basil. Do you pack it or chop it? How do you measure your basil?