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Classic Basil Pesto

15 minutes | Yield: About 1 cup

Pesto is a very easy and flexible recipe that every aspiring cook (and for that matter the cooking-averse) should know.  Feel free to adjust proportions to your taste. Try experimenting with different nuts and leafy herbs. Arugula or Italian Parsley work well, as do walnuts and even pistachios.

Ingredients

  • 3oz fresh basil leaves, firmly packed
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan-Reggiano, freshly grated
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, crushed
  • sea salt, to taste
  • fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Add pine nuts, garlic and sea salt to a food processor and blitz to form a paste
  2. Add basil and blend until incorporated
  3. Add cheese and blend continuously while drizzling olive oil slowly
  4. Add pepper and additional salt to taste

A food processor is the easiest tool for the job, but feel free to use a blender, stick blender or even a mortar and pestle.