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Oh, my love of pesto. When the basil is abundant—and especially when a bumper crop is really going—rather than let it go to waste, I make it into pesto. This pesto freezes well in ice cube trays. Remember to use the colored 'food' trays, not the water trays. Then use a ‘cube’ at a time to infuse minestrone, add interest to pizza dough, to risotto or fold fresh flavor into any Italian sauce. Pasta with pesto is an easy side dish, especially if all you have to do is drop a couple of cubes of pesto into already hot Linguine or Cavatappi, stir and serve. Next to some grilled chicken or as a start to a great pasta salad, freshly made frozen pesto provides a magical touch each and every time you use it.
The steps to making this pesto are even easier with a little helper buddy by your side. Though not so little, my 8 year old son tore all the basil leaves from the stem, We sat out in the front yard one morning, and ripped the basil bushes apart. He was quite an industrous helper buddy. He was so carefull to only get the full size, fresh, plumb green leaves, and leave the straggles for me to pick through.
...Note to self, take more pictures of the boys... they are only young once!
Historically, pesto was (and is sometimes still) prepared in a marble mortar with wooden pestle. First the basil leaves are washed and dried and then put in the mortar together with garlic and some coarse crystals of sea salt, crushed to a creamy consistency. Then the pine nuts are added and crushed together. When the pine nuts are well incorporated in the "cream", the two grated cheeses (Parmigiano e Pecorino) plus olive oil can be added and stirred together with a wooden spoon.
Making Fresh Pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, rinsed & packed into the measuring cup
- 2 heaping tablespoon pine nuts *
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (like Parmigiano Reggiano)
- big pinch coarse sea salt or Kosher salt
- 10 grinds of coarse pblack epper
- 1/2 cup Olive oil
Put half the basil, the pine nuts, garlic, the Parmesan and a smidgen of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), in to blend in the food processor. Then after a minute or so, add the rest of the basil. Then while churing, open the spout and drizzle in about 1/4 cup of the olive oil and process. Slowly add the rest of the olive oil, process.
Put into ice cube ** trays, into freeze, pop out later and keep in ziploc freezer bags for the future.
Notes:
* Use this year's fresh pinenut crop (they do get rancid after a year of sitting around)
** Remember to use the colored 'food' trays, not the water trays. I have a set of cheap,
"4 for a $1" green ice cube trays that I use for food, and stocks. The blue ones I use for ice cubes for drinks.
*** This lady sets the standard that I am going to have to try....if I have the time for a special occasion.
How to Make Pesto like an Italian Grandmother Recipe
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