Fresh Basil Pesto

Most modern recipes, including this one, call for making pesto with a food processor to combine the ingredients. This method works well, but produces a very homogenised final result.

For a more traditional approach, try hand-chopping the individual ingredients. The individual components that make up this recipe will be less uniform, resulting in more distinct individual flavors among bites.

Ingredients
2 cups fresh basil, loosely packed

¼ cup toasted pine nuts (can substitute walnuts, if preferred)

2 – 4 garlic cloves, peeled

2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons really good extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
Remove basil leaves from stems, then wash and pat dry. Add basil, pine nuts, peeled garlic gloves and Parmesan cheese to food processor or blender. Quickly pulse until barely combined, then add 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil and blend thoroughly.

Add remaining olive oil and/or additional grated Parmesan cheese to achieve the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.