How to Make Homemade Pesto

Derived from the Latin word 'pestle,' a tool used for grinding or mashing, traditional pesto is a combination of ground basil leaves, cheese, olive oil, salt and garlic. The origins are believed to be Persian or Genovese and there are several variations on the recipe. They vary by the type of cheese, nuts, vegetables and leaves used. Pesto can be used as a spread or topping on bruschetta, in pasta or on meats and poultry as a seasoning sauce. Recipes on how to make pesto and use it abound the world around, but the unique taste of the fresh basil condiment is one of a kind.

Things You'll Need

• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• Salt
• Pepper
• Lemon (optional)
• Food Processor, chopper or blender

Instructions

1. Grind pine nuts in a blender, food processor or chopper for at least 30 seconds. The pine nuts should be fully crumbled but not powdery or ultra-fine. Some large pieces or full pine nuts are okay.

2. Add Parmesan cheese to blender and grind with pine nuts until fully grated and mixed. The texture of the mix with grated cheese should be thick, even clumpy, but not powdered.

3. Add basil leaves and minced garlic to blender and grind until fully mixed with nuts and cheese. Leaves will shred quickly. Different sized leaf pieces are okay, but avoid fine or watery consistencies when fully ground.

4. Add salt and pepper to taste. Omit salt and pepper if you wish.

Tips & Warnings

• -This recipe makes about 3/4 cup pesto sauce.

• -Vary the amount of olive oil to obtain a preferred consistency of the sauce.

• -Add fresh lemon juice to the blender after Step 4 if storing the pesto for more than a day or if there will be leftovers to store. Lemon juice helps keep the basil leaves from turning brown.

• -If a chopping machine is not available, chop the basil leaves by hand; grind or mash the nuts and cheese with a mallet or tool similar to a 'pestel' and hand mix it all together.

• -Spread pesto sauce on a cream cheese bagel and top with a tomato, mix into plain pasta sauce, or coat chicken before baking or cooking.

• -Use a utensil to remove ground ingredients from the sides of the chopper or blender and grind until even.

• -Don't use hands.

• -Always wash basil before using.

References

• The Food Timeline FAQs: Pesto