Hey Pesto!

Basic ingredients are fresh basil, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic and parmesan cheese.

Apart from being famous for the birthplace of Christopher Columbus and Paganini, Genoa Italy, also holds claim to one of the best Italian sauces, Pesto!

Pesto originates from the word pestâ, which means to pound or crush, and that’s exactly what you do with the ingredients, or use a food processor.

This is so easy to make as you put all the ingredients (except the cheese) into a food processor and blitz to a paste, add seasoning to taste, then stir in the Parmesan cheese.
You can make it ahead of time, it will keep up to a week in an air-tight jar, or Tupperware container, or you can freeze it.
That’s it, and there’s a world of difference between homemade and the shop bought stuff!

Serves 4
Prep Time 10 mins
Ingredients

• 25g/1oz Fresh basil
• 150ml/5fl oz Extra virgin olive oil
• 25g/1oz Pine nuts, lightly toasted (optional)
• 1 Clove garlic, finely chopped
• 50g/1¾oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• Sea salt and black pepper

Method

• Using a food processor, blend to a paste the basil, oil, nuts and garlic
• Transfer to a 1 pint/20fl oz bowl
• Stir in the parmesan cheese and season well
• Cover with a film of olive oil

Equipment

• Food Processor
• 1 Pint/20fl oz bowl

Shopping List

• 25g/1oz Fresh basil
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 25g/1oz Pine nuts
• 1 clove garlic
• 50g/1¾oz Parmesan cheese
• Sea salt, black pepper

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