Basil Pesto – serves 4
Basil pesto is a favourite among many, and the beauty of the recipe is that it can be used for pasta, a dip or a tasty topping for your baked salmon.
Ingredients:
- 3 good handfuls fresh basil , leaves picked and chopped
- 1 good handful parmesan cheese , freshly grated
- ½ – 1 clove garlic , chopped
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 handful pine nuts , very lightly toasted
- extra virgin olive oil
- fresh lemon juice, to your taste
Method:
The traditional technique to making quality pesto, is to use a mortar and pestle to pound the leaves as this ensures the delicate basil is not over worked and maintains it’s beautiful aroma. That said we are very partial to a food processor, the choice is yours and the results are both amazing.
- Pound/ process the garlic with a little pinch of salt and the basil leaves. Add the pine nuts to the mixture and pound/ process again.
- Turn out into a bowl and add half the Parmesan. Stir gently and add olive oil – you need just enough to bind the sauce and get it to a nice consistency.
- Season to taste, then add most of the remaining cheese. Pour in some more oil and taste again. Keep adding a bit more cheese or oil until you are happy with the taste and consistency.
- Lastly squeeze the lemon juice in to give it that extra kick.
Enjoy!
