BASIL PESTO
Ready to be frozen
2012 – I have had a fantastic success with basil this year – shows that it likes being watered. I grew a punnet of mixed basil – don’t know what most of it is but we enjoyed fresh basil right through the season. I planted it beside the tomatoes as it is supposed to be a companion plant and scare off some insects – don’t know what ones.
Now we are at the end of the season I have picked heaps and made pesto. I froze it in little plastic containers – used when we had a baby in the house for small food portions. We defrost and use on pasta, toast with tomato, pizza, anything!
Ingredients
If you have plenty of basil then make double, freeze the leftovers.
- 1/4 cup Pine nuts
- Salt to taste
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3/4 cup shredded parmesan
- 5 tbs Good olive oil (approx)
- 1 1/2 cups (squashed in) Basil
- Parsley (optional – is supposed to keep the pesto greener)
Method
- Toast pine nuts in oven at 180° C for 5 minutes (or until they start to colour) and leave to cool.
- Crush garlic with salt and add to food processor. (or just use crushed garlic)
- Remove leaves from basil and thick stems from parsley (if using), wash and dry then add to the food processor and blend (add more leaves as they are reduced in bulk).
- Add olive oil in a thin stream to make a smooth paste. Add grated parmesan cheese and the toasted pine nuts.
- Check the seasoning and add more oil if it is too thick. I also added a squeeze of lemon juice.
Substitutes:
Try rocket, macadamia nuts, dried tomatoes.