BASIL PESTO
"Here`s another all-purpose spread, topping, and sauce. Spoon it over grilled salmon. Make it the sauce for pizza, or use it as a sandwich spread. Sure, you could buy the jarred stuff, but homemade is so much better. Pesto takes less than 5 minutes to make and it keeps frozen for months. I make it in August or September when fresh basil is easy to find. Then I just freeze it in a tub and scoop out whatever I need."
2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped 10 cups loosely packed fresh basil 2 cups grated imported Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 3/4 cup pine nuts 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
BEFORE YOU GO: Put everything but oil in a food processor. Blend until finely chopped, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of processor bowl, then add 3/4 cup of the oil and blend to a loose paste, about 20 seconds, scraping bowl as necessary. For a more runny pesto, blend in remaining oil a tablespoon at a time until thinned how you like it. Scrape into two small airtight containers and chill up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 year. Two containers allow you to carry just 1 cup of pesto at a time, since you`ll rarely need 2 cups.
WHEN YOU GET THERE: If the pesto is frozen, use a melon baller or spoon to scrape out the amount you need; small pieces will melt quickly when they meet hot foods. Or thaw and remove from cooler 20 minutes before using as a spread or dip.
NEIGHBORLY TIP: If you`ll only use a small amount of pesto at a time, drop the prepared pesto in 1-tablespoon blobs onto wax-paper-lined cookie sheets. Freeze until solid, then pop off the blobs and seal in a zipper-lock bag. That way you have 1-tablespoon amounts ready to go. |