How To Make The BEST Pesto

Recipe for making a super tasty pesto sauce – here’s how to make it yourself:

Ingredients for making the best pesto ever:

• 1 – 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 large bunch of fresh basil , (40g)
• 50 g pine nuts
• 3 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
• 50 g Parmesan cheese
• A pinch of sea salt

Pesto Making Method
Pick and wash fresh basil leaves (preferably home grown) in cold water and set aside. In a small pan, lightly toast your pine nuts in olive oil on a medium heat for a few minutes. Peel and crush the garlic in a pestle and mortar – Pesto is supposed to be a bit chunky, not super-smooth so it’s best to mash using a pestle and mortar but you can use a blender or food processor instead if you lightly pulse.

Add in the washed basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of sea salt and finely grated Parmesan cheese, using a little water to thin if needed. Then continue grinding and pounding your pesto until the texture is smooth.

Useful Pesto Making Tips

• Pesto will keep for a long time in the refrigerator with a layer of olive oil on top.
• Substitute pricey pine nuts with walnuts or pecans instead. Whichever nut you choose, make sure you toast them first.
• Pesto freezes beautifully. Just fill the trays with pesto and freeze. Once frozen, pop the cubes out and seal them in a freezer bag.

Pesto is so fun and easy to make, you’ll enjoy getting the kids involved especially when they can use it as a wonderful pesto pasta!