If you’ve ever made an Italian homemade pesto before, then you would know how great it is. From the gorgeous green colour to the aroma and taste (of course!), going back to store-bought pesto is never again an option.
There are many variations on pesto, but this Italian-style recipe is a traditional pesto alla Genovese, made with six typical ingredients: basil, pine nuts, cheese (parmesan and pecorino), oil, garlic and salt. It’s so quick and easy. Before you know it, you’ll be topping your foccacia, pizza and bread with it, or tossing it through pasta for a fast and delicious meal.
The biggest advice I can give you before starting this recipe is to chill everything! Why? Basil oxidises (turns black) pretty quickly, and no-one wants a murky dark green-black pesto. So, chill the food processor (hot blades are a no-no), the olive oil, pine nuts and basil for about 15 minutes, and you’ll be off to a great start.
15
minutes1
cupThis delightful homemade pesto is vegetarian.
Stop your screen from snoozing (zzz)
Ingredients
3 cups 3 cup basil leaves (see notes)
2 cloves 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
2 tbsp 6 tsp pine nuts
1/2 cup 1/2 cup (40g) grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 tbsp 2 tbsp grated pecorino
Good pinch Good pinch sea salt flakes
1/2 cup 1/2 cup (125ml) extra-virgin olive oil (see notes)
Method
- Place basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmigiano, pecorino, salt and half the oil in food processor and pulse until roughly chopped and combined.
- Add the remaining oil and pulse until a textured paste forms. Don’t over process or you will lose all that lovely texture and the colour will start to darken.
- Spoon the pesto into a sterilised jar. Store in the fridge.
Notes
- Make sure your basil is dry before starting as you don’t want to add extra water to this recipe. Also, be sure to discard all the stalks, as these contain a lot of water, too.
- You’ll need about 1 bunch of basil for this recipe. However, if you think you will be able to use the basil for another dish, then buy 2 bunches and just pick the smaller leaves for this pesto – these will have the most flavour.
- Use a light extra-virgin olive oil, so that it doesn’t overpower the pesto.
- Keep your pesto in the fridge for 4-7 days. Tip: adding a spoonful of extra-virgin olive oil to the top of the jar will prevent the basil from becoming exposed to the air and oxidising. Bring the pesto to room temperature, if using on a grazing platter.
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