If there's one reason to buy a food processor, it might as well be for making this basil pesto recipe. With only a few ingredients, pesto can be whipped up in mere minutes, and the possibilities for using it are endless. Use it on pasta (fresh, if possible), dolloped onto a piece of grilled fish or chicken, rubbed onto a steak before grilling, as a condiment on a turkey sandwich, or simply slathered onto a piece of bread. If you are lucky enough to have an abundant basil plant, as I do this year, you'll want to make this all summer long. For more detailed instructions, click over to How to Make Pesto
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 00 minute
Ingredients:
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
- 1 1/4 cups fresh basil leaves (packed)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened (optional)
- 1 cup (2 ounces) parmesan cheese, grated
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
- In a food processor or a blender, pulse pine nuts and garlic together until nuts are finely ground. Add basil leaves and process until the leaves are finely chopped.
- With blender running, add olive oil in a steady stream. Some food processors have a feed tube that has a special "pinhole" opening that is designed for slowly drizzling liquids into the work bowl—if yours does, use it to add the oil now.
- Stop food processor, add the butter and parmesan cheese, process until they're completely incorporated and the mixture is pastelike. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Makes about 3/4 cup pesto.
