Tis' the season for some pesto!
This recipe is for Katie- I was just going to email her but thought I'd share it since I've made it a couple times recently and it's so darn good!
Aunt Carol has 12+ basil plants in the garden, planted amongst the tomatoes to help deter bugs. Basil appreciates a haircut often (or else you will see tiny leaves form at the top as it decides to flower)- like a lot of plants, the more you cut the stems back, the more bushy it gets. After the past few years of being treated to bumper crops of the sweet-smelling leaves, I am a believer that you should always plant a lot if you have a garden! You can always keep basil in containers if you don't, it just needs to be watered daily and kept in the best sunlight you have.
I've been using it as a spread for sandwiches, mixed with ricotta for stuffed shells, and as a late-night treat: scali bread (or whatever bread you have) spread with pesto, sprinkled with mozzarella then topped with diced tomato (take out those juicy seeds!) just assemble and pop in the toaster oven on "toast" yumyumyum! Try tossing with cooked pasta, bake with meat sauce & cheese.... Anything pasta-related, of course!
It will last in the fridge, until consumed :D (up to 5 days).
Keep it in a small bowl with either plastic wrap pressed right against it to help prevent oxidation (causes it to turn from appetizing bright green to depressing brown).
You can freeze pesto as long as you leave out the cheese (easy enough to sprinkle in later).
Try using an ice cube tray then popping them out into a freezer bag.
I've never frozen it with cheese so I don't know what happens (makes the texture less appealing?).
Shopping tips:
Now is a good time to get basil at farmer's markets.....
Pine nuts were $5.29/8oz at Trader Joe's . They sell them raw or already toasted!
Make sure the nuts you have on hand from last year haven't turned rancid. The smell should not be in any way unappealing. Eat some to be sure.
I've been using DaVinci extra-virgin olive oil. Also beware of rancid oil if you don't use it very often.
Special Equipment: Cuisinart
(or else chop the basil down enough so that you can use a blender)
*Feel free to "interpret" or adjust ingredients as you see fit.
When I make it I cut the recipe below in half: 4 tightly packed cups of basil is a lot!
The time-consuming part of this recipe is picking and washing the basil.
This recipe is for Katie- I was just going to email her but thought I'd share it since I've made it a couple times recently and it's so darn good!
Aunt Carol has 12+ basil plants in the garden, planted amongst the tomatoes to help deter bugs. Basil appreciates a haircut often (or else you will see tiny leaves form at the top as it decides to flower)- like a lot of plants, the more you cut the stems back, the more bushy it gets. After the past few years of being treated to bumper crops of the sweet-smelling leaves, I am a believer that you should always plant a lot if you have a garden! You can always keep basil in containers if you don't, it just needs to be watered daily and kept in the best sunlight you have.
I've been using it as a spread for sandwiches, mixed with ricotta for stuffed shells, and as a late-night treat: scali bread (or whatever bread you have) spread with pesto, sprinkled with mozzarella then topped with diced tomato (take out those juicy seeds!) just assemble and pop in the toaster oven on "toast" yumyumyum! Try tossing with cooked pasta, bake with meat sauce & cheese.... Anything pasta-related, of course!
It will last in the fridge, until consumed :D (up to 5 days).
Keep it in a small bowl with either plastic wrap pressed right against it to help prevent oxidation (causes it to turn from appetizing bright green to depressing brown).
You can freeze pesto as long as you leave out the cheese (easy enough to sprinkle in later).
Try using an ice cube tray then popping them out into a freezer bag.
I've never frozen it with cheese so I don't know what happens (makes the texture less appealing?).
Shopping tips:
Now is a good time to get basil at farmer's markets.....
Pine nuts were $5.29/8oz at Trader Joe's . They sell them raw or already toasted!
Make sure the nuts you have on hand from last year haven't turned rancid. The smell should not be in any way unappealing. Eat some to be sure.
I've been using DaVinci extra-virgin olive oil. Also beware of rancid oil if you don't use it very often.
Special Equipment: Cuisinart
(or else chop the basil down enough so that you can use a blender)
*Feel free to "interpret" or adjust ingredients as you see fit.
When I make it I cut the recipe below in half: 4 tightly packed cups of basil is a lot!
The time-consuming part of this recipe is picking and washing the basil.
Pesto
6 ounces Parmesan cheese, cut into 1" pieces
6 small garlic cloves, peeled
4 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted (be careful to remove from heat as soon as you see browning)
1/2 teaspoon salt (or just a sprinkling; Parmesan is usually salty)
1/2 cup olive oil
yield: 2 cups
Use metal blade to chop cheese & garlic, about 30 seconds.
Add remaining ingredients except oil and process until combined.
With machine running, pour oil through feed tube.
Process until combined, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl and process until smooth.
Enjoy!
Add remaining ingredients except oil and process until combined.
With machine running, pour oil through feed tube.
Process until combined, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl and process until smooth.
Enjoy!
P.S. No signs of impending labor yet!
