Basil Pesto

Basil Pesto

I am sharing what I believe to be an authentic Italian pesto recipe since my teacher was our daughter Mary who lives in Milano and makes the most mouth-watering pasta dishes! You gauge the ingredients according to the amount of basil you have or the amount of sauce that you need.

Ingredients:

Pine nuts

Fresh basil leaves

Olive oil

Salt

Garlic is optional. I do not use it.

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Directions:

Toast the pine nuts which gives them an enhanced flavor. I have a small teflon skillet which I use over a low heat. Pine nuts have a high oil content so the heat must be low. Stir often to keep from burning. Pine nuts can be toasted in the oven also but do keep a close eye. Allow toasted nuts to cool completely.

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In a food processor place basil leaves (a couple of handsful) with some olive oil. Use just enough olive oil at first that will allow the leaves to be chopped fine. As you keep the food processor on, add enough olive oil to make a thick paste. Add the pine nuts and now you can gauge the amount of olive oil you need to make the pesto to the proper consistency. (I would compare the proper consistency to that of cake batter.) Add salt to taste. Keep in a sealed jar and refrigerate until ready to use. I might say it is best if used fresh but will keep a few days in the refirgerator without loosing the quality. It will seperate when it sets in the jar but just stir to emulsify.

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You may never used commercial pesto again!