Basil Pesto From Home Recipes

BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, combine garlic, salt and pine nuts; cover and process until finely chopped. Add basil and olive oil; puree until smooth. Add cheese and process just until combined. Serve with pasta or grilled meats of vegetables.

BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Combine basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and olive oil in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add garlic, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Pulse until mixture becomes smooth and blended.
• Pour mixture onto a large sheet of plastic wrap; roll into a tube shape and seal. Store in the refrigerator until needed.

HOMEMADE BASIL PESTO RECIPE

Steps:

• Quickly blanch the basil. Prepare a bowl of ice water and set aside near your stove. Fill a small saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil. Drop the basil leaves in the boiling water and blanch for 5 to 10 seconds or until wilted. Using tongs, transfer the basil leaves to prepared ice water to stop cooking.
• Dry the basil very well. Pick up the basil leaves and wrap them in paper towel and squeeze to wring out all the water.
• Make the pesto. Place the basil, garlic, pine nuts, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. With the processor running, slowly pour the extra virgin olive oil. Do not run the processor too long, you want to have a little bit of texture to your basil pesto.
• Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Transfer the basil mixture to a small bowl. Add the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix to combine. If needed add a little bit more extra virgin olive oil to mix.
• Use immediately or store for later (see notes for storage).

BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.
• If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.

FRESH BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Season the pesto sauce: Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Toss with pasta for a quick sauce, dollop over baked potatoes, or spread onto crackers or toasted slices of bread.

HOW TO EASILY MAKE PESTO FROM FRESH BASIL

Steps:

• Pick the leaves off of the stems. Discard any flower buds, stems or leaves that aren't in good shape. All we want are leaves; small, medium or large; as long as they are a healthy green, not brown or molding!
• Wash the basil. Just wash them in a large bowl under cold water, no soap!
• Chop the pine nuts and garlic in the food processor. If you don't have a food processor, you can use a blender.
• Add the basil leaves, lemon, and olive oil and chop. Stuff the basil leaves (in small batches) into the food processor and chop them into the garlic, olive oil and pine nuts.
• Chop the mix until it forms a thick, smooth paste.
• Add the grated Parmesan cheese to the food processor and blend! IMPORTANT NOTE: if you intend to freeze the pesto, leave the cheese OUT and add it when you thaw and use the pesto.
• Add 1 teaspoon of sugar or Splenda to the batch to bring the flavor alive. (Optional).
• The pesto will keep in refrigerator for about a week, or you can freeze it and it will last for 3 to 6 months.
• Serving? Most people serve it over pasta or use it to season fish and chicken dishes.

BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts evenly on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until golden and fragrant, tossing once, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, bring 4 cups salted water to a boil; add basil, and submerge with a spoon. Immediately drain in a colander. Rinse with cold water until cool, then pat basil completely dry in paper towels.
• In a food processor, combine nuts, basil, and garlic; season generously with salt and pepper. Process until nuts are finely chopped. With machine running, pour oil in a steady stream through the feed tube; process until smooth. Use immediately, or freeze.

FRESH BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Combine basil, oil, pine nuts, garlic, and lemon juice in a food processor or blender; puree until smooth. Stir in Pecorino Romano cheese, salt, and pepper.

BASIL PESTO FROM HOME

Steps:

• Using your processor pulse the basil, garlic and pine nuts.
• Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on.
• Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula.
• Add the grated Parmeasn cheese and lemon juice; pulse again until blended.
• Add salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Store pesto in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week, or in the freezer for about six months.
• Keep it looking fresh and green by covering the top with a thin layer of olive oil or with a sheet of plastic wrap directly on its surface; this will keep it from oxidizing and turning brown. If your pesto darkens in color, it will still taste good.
• I freeze it by dropping Tablespoons of it on a parchment paper, freezing it and storing in a zip lock bag in the freezer.

BASIL AND PARSLEY PESTO

Steps:

• Place basil, parsley, almonds and garlic in a small food processor; pulse until chopped. Add lemon zest, juice, honey and salt; process until blended. Continue processing while gradually adding oil in a steady stream. Add cheese; pulse just until blended., Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Freeze option: Transfer pesto to ice cube trays; cover and freeze pesto until firm. Remove from trays and transfer to a resealable plastic freezer bag; return to freezer. To use, thaw cubes in refrigerator 2 hours.

FRESH BASIL PESTO - FREEZER DIRECTIONS

Steps:

• Put the basil, garlic, pine nuts, and salt in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Drizzle olive oil. Taste and add more salt if needed.
• If freezing: line ice cube trays with plastic wrap. Scoop pesto into trays using 1-2 tablespoons of pesto per "cube." Freeze. Put in ziplock after solid. To use: Thaw and add cheese.
• If using fresh: Add the cheese and process a few seconds until just incorporated.
• Enough pesto for a pound of pasta and recommended it tossed with linguine, capellini or meat or cheese tortellini.

CLASSIC PESTO

Steps:

• Place the basil, cheese, garlic and salt in a food processor; cover and pulse until chopped. Add nuts; cover and process until blended. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream. Store in an airtight container in the freezer up to 1 year.