Why not make your own basil pesto?, a delicious and incredibly adaptable sauce, dip or spread, with only a few key ingredients. Because it’s so fresh, it tastes far better than store-bought and comes together in minutes. We speed up the process by using our food processor. Alternatively, you can mix it by hand with a mortar and pestle.

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Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 2 small garlic cloves, halved
• 3/4 cup shredded or shaved parmesan
• Olive oil
• Salt & Pepper

Method:

1. On medium heat carefully brown the pine nuts in a dry frying pan. (you don’t need to add oil). Keep the pine nuts moving in the pan to prevent burning. Once browned season with a little salt and set aside on a paper towel to cool completely. Pine Nuts must be completely cooled before being added or they will cause the basil to cook and brown. Brown pesto isn’t very appealing.

2. Add Basil, Garlic, Parmesan and cooled Pine Nuts to the bowl of your blender. A benchtop blender is better for this job as it will give you a more even consistency, however Basil Pesto can be made in many different ways so use whatever you have available. Blend all the ingredients together by pulsing the blender and slowly adding olive oil a tablespoon at a time (approximately 5 tablespoons). Scrape larger chunks from the side with a spatula. keep going until you reach your desired consistency, Chunky pesto is great for pasta and smooth pesto is great for dipping.

3. Carefully transfer the pesto to a clean mason jar. Add a thin layer of olive oil to the top making sure to cover the pesto. This will help keep it fresh for longer. Store in the fridge and enjoy.

To Serve:

Pesto can be enjoyed on crackers and cheese or with a wide range of meals. These are just some of the options you could consider. Add a layer to a baked pasta, like lasagna, or toss it into fresh pasta. Stir it into spreads, dips, and other sauces to add an extra depth of flavour. Drizzle it over your eggs. Swap out the typical tomato pizza sauce. Pesto is extremely potent and can be overpowering, so a little goes a long way. Blend it into vinaigrettes. Try sprinkling some on your next potato salad. Spoon a bit into vegetable soups like pumpkin or leek and potato.