Pesto

Pesto is a flavoursome and versatile sauce hailing from Italy which is quick and easy to make with fresh basil in the Summertime.  You can buy it in most supermarkets now but fresh is absolutely best!  It makes a wonderful pasta sauce (especially with the traditional trofie pasta from Northern Italy – though you can have it with any pasta) and is also lovely as a sauce for boiled potatoes, roasted asparagus, grilled salmon and pan fried chicken.

You can make the pesto either in a pestle and mortar or in a food processor or blender.  It is best eaten freshly made, but you can store it in the fridge for a few days, provided you pour a layer of oil over the top to stop air getting in.  It can also be frozen.

1. Put the pine nuts into a small dry frying pan (i.e. don’t add any oil or butter) and toast them over a low heat for approximately 5 minutes until they are lightly brown all over.  You will need to watch them closely and turn them over with a spoon from time to time to make sure both sides get toasted but not burnt.  When they are done, tip them into a small bowl so that they don’t continue cooking in the hot pan.
   
2. If you are using a food processor or blender to make the pesto, put the toasted pine nuts, grated parmesan and basil leaves into the bowl of the processor/blender, crush the garlic into the bowl and then blitz everything together to make a paste.  Then, gradually add the olive oil whilst pulsing the processor/blender.  Give the sides of the processor a good scrape down with a spatula and then blitz again for a few seconds to make sure everything is mixed in together.
   
   
3. If you are using a pestle and mortar, put the basil leaves into the mortar and give them a good pound and grind with the pestle until they have broken down.
   
4. Add in the garlic cloves and continue to pound to break them up.
   
5. Next add the pine nuts and grated parmesan and grind and pound these so that the nuts are ground down and everything is combined.
   
6. When the mix is a paste (but still with a little texture), gradually add the oil whilst stirring with the pestle.