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Homemade Pesto

July 13, 2015 By Anna 6 Comments

The first time I had real honest-to-goodness Italian pesto in Riomaggiore, Italy in 1994, I thought that I might swoon right off the craggy Ligurian coast and into the deep blue Mediterranean sea.  Basil grows in Liguria better than any place else in the world, hands down.  The sea air infuses the basil leaves with some kind of magical properties.

For years after, I was in hot pursuit of a pesto in America that would stand on its own.  Now that I live in Sunny CA, I’ve found the basil to be absolutely fantastic.  Year Round.  I use a Cuisinart Mini Food Processor, but you are welcome to do it the old fashioned way with a Mortar and Pestle, if you are feeling it.

Use more olive oil for a smoother pesto (great for pastas) and less oil for a chunkier pesto (for caprese, salads, soups, meats, fish, or to eat plain out of a bowl).

Make this pesto…for the one you love…especially if you like attention, crave praise, or just want to get laid.

Homemade Pesto
Ingredients
  • 2 cups basil leaves washed and patted dry
  • 1/3-1/2 cup high-end olive oil
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts (raw or toasted, your preference)
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
  • Salt & Pepper (completely optional, usually just the parmesan will be salty enough)
Instructions
  1. Place the basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic and olive oil into the food processor. Grind until chopped, about 3-5 pulses. You may need to use a spatula to scrape down the walls halfway through. Add the parmesan, pulse 2-3 more times until the pesto is your desired consistency.
3.2.2925

 

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Zucchini Pasta

Filed Under: Sauces, Dressings, Marinades Tagged With: basil, parmesan, pesto, pine nuts

Comments

  1. adena says

    November 2, 2012 at 4:32 pm

    thank you thank you thank you! That pic made me hungry. <br /><br />Curious, what do you think about using avocado oil instead of the olive oil? hmmm

    Reply
  2. Sarah B. says

    November 2, 2012 at 6:46 pm

    Yummmmmm!

    Reply
  3. Gluten Free Anna says

    November 2, 2012 at 9:41 pm

    adena–I say give it a shot–or save the nice olive oil for the pesto and use the avocado oil for pan frying/sauteeing since it has a higher burn point.<br /><br />XOXO

    Reply
  4. Kimberly says

    July 15, 2015 at 2:48 am

    I guess I have a dumb question… I have a VItamix, but not a food processor. Is there a big difference when making something like this?

    Reply
    • Anna says

      July 15, 2015 at 3:33 am

      Not a dumb question at all! I’ve made pesto with the Vitamix many times! You just have to pulse it so you wont make it too mushy.
      XOXO

      Reply
  5. John Buffin says

    April 23, 2016 at 2:47 pm

    Bought the stuff i need for this. Can’t wait to open up my spiralizer.

    Reply

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