Name: Homemade basil pesto
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 bunch of fresh basil, leaves only; 1 clove of garlic; 1 small handful pine nuts (approx. 25 g); 25g Parmesan, finely grated; 100 ml Olive oil (extra-virgin); Juice of ½ lemon (optional); Pinch of salt

Homemade basil pesto

23 Jul 2018

by Dinna

Prep Time

5 minutes

Total Time

5 minutes

Background

I used to buy pesto from my local Italian Deli, thinking it’s better than the ones you get in the supermarket. One day I was given some classic, Homemade basil pesto by my friend’s mum, which tasted so much better and fresher! She gave me recipe - and I to my surprise it’s really, I mean really, easy to make , particularly if you have a small food processor ( takes max 5 minutes). The traditional method uses pestle and mortar and the result is coarser. The pesto can be used for salad dressing, pasta, pizza, stuffing etc. It keeps well in fridge for a few days. I sometimes add the grated zest of ½ lemon too.

Ingredients

1 bunch of fresh basil, leaves only
1 clove of garlic
1 small handful pine nuts (approx. 25 g)
25g Parmesan, finely grated
100 ml Olive oil (extra-virgin)
Juice of ½ lemon (optional)
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Very lightly toast the pine nuts and set aside.
Grind the garlic with a pinch of sea salt in a pestle and mortar (or whiz in a small food processor).
Add the pine nuts and keep bushing or pulse for a few second. Add the basil leaves gradually and pound/pulse until you get a textured paste. Stir in the Parmesan, half of the oil, then the lemon juice, if used.
Season to taste with salt & black pepper. Taste it and adjust the oil, seasoning and acidity until you are happy with the consistency and flavour.
Transfer it to a jar, seal and chill until needed (it keeps for about a week- even longer if you cover the surface with a layer of olive oil and use a properly sterilised jar). Alternatively, you can use it immediately.