Lee's Pesto
- 2-3 peeled roughly chopped garlic cloves
- 2 cups nice fresh basil leaves, clean, gently towel dried, tough stems discarded
- handful pinoli nuts*
- 1/4 cup good olive oil
- 1/8 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, Parmigiano Reggiano**
- salt to taste not too much
Cut off some pieces of Parmigiano Reggiano Parmesan and process in blender to grate nicely. Set aside.
Put garlic in food processor. Whirl briefly. Add pinoli. Whirl very briefly...like one twirl. Add basil and whirl briefly to chop into fairly large pieces. Now process briefly and pour oil through spout at same time. Stop often to check that it is not becoming mush. You are pulsing. Mix in your grated Parmesan cheese by hand.
Note: Proportions of oil, basil, garlic and pinoli can vary according to your taste. The technique of blending and the quality of nice fresh basil is what is important.
*buy pinoli (pine nuts in English) in bulk from Middle Eastern grocers or in Boston's North End NOT in jar$ from $upermarket$
**(buy in North End) or on sale in supermarket. Get Parmigiano Reggiano; if necessary, buy domestic.
For good pesto you must go to Genoa or learn to make it yourself.
Put garlic in food processor. Whirl briefly. Add pinoli. Whirl very briefly...like one twirl. Add basil and whirl briefly to chop into fairly large pieces. Now process briefly and pour oil through spout at same time. Stop often to check that it is not becoming mush. You are pulsing. Mix in your grated Parmesan cheese by hand.
Note: Proportions of oil, basil, garlic and pinoli can vary according to your taste. The technique of blending and the quality of nice fresh basil is what is important.
*buy pinoli (pine nuts in English) in bulk from Middle Eastern grocers or in Boston's North End NOT in jar$ from $upermarket$
**(buy in North End) or on sale in supermarket. Get Parmigiano Reggiano; if necessary, buy domestic.
For good pesto you must go to Genoa or learn to make it yourself.
Submitted by Jul 12, 2010
15 min
30 min
45 min