This is a fantastic, vibrant, and delicious pesto sauce can be simply made at home. Whether you have bushes of basil growing in your garden or you purchased a few bunches at the farmer’s market, this sauce comes together in about 10 minutes. Easily made and stored for up to a week in your refrigerator or six months in your freezer. This homemade pesto will be your go to recipe for sure.
Delicious Uses For Pesto
According to the book “Genoese Cooking” written by Gio Battista Ratto and his son Giovanni and published for the first time in Genoa in 1863. Pesto sauce is used to dress “gnocchi, troffie or trofiette” (kinds of pasta made principally of flour and potatoes), “lasagne” (a kind of flat, square pasta) or “tagliolini” (a kind of pasta made of flour but also eggs). By adding a little hot water or hot pasta water turns this thick sauce into a thinner one to coat pasta perfectly.
Today, many of us use this uncooked pesto sauce in recipes such as.
- Pesto aioli or pesto mayonnaise. This condiment is delicious with a grilled Panini sandwich, grilled chicken wrap, or as a dip for grilled artichokes.
- Pesto vinaigrette. Use this dressing with bright and peppery arugula salad green, drizzled over grilled radicchio and antipasto salads.
- Pesto Marinades. A delicious and flavorful addition to grilled chicken, pork tenderloin, chicken wings and grilled vegetables.
- Pesto Pizza Sauce. Omit the red sauce mainly used for pizza and spread a spoonful or two of pesto on pizza dough, top it with fresh mozzarella or prosciutto and tomatoes then bake.
There are so many uses for homemade pesto it can have you searching Pinterest for hours on end. One thing is certain this sauce has lasted the test of time and it is still helping us enjoy meals today. Enjoy.
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Ingredients
- 5 cups fresh basil leaves, stems removed
- 3 cloves garlic, outer paper removed
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, you can lightly toast then in a warm skillet
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup good quality olive oil
Instructions
- Wash and dry the basil making sure to remove all water. Placed washed basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor.
- Place the lid on the food processor and pulse the blade a few times to move the ingredients aground. Now turn food processor on and begin to slowly pour the olive oil through the chute of the top of the machine.
- Stop half way through and scape down the sides of the food processors bowl.
- Once the pesto is smooth and creamy looking place the mixture in food safe storage containers, top the pesto with a bit of olive oil so the air in the container will not oxidize the basil. Store in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze up to 6 months.