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An Authentic Pesto
12 Walnuts, shelled
2 tbsp Pine nuts
1 tsp coarse salt
4 (or 5) black peppercorns
3 Garlic clove(s)
4 tbsp Butter
3 c Basil leaves
4 oz Grated Parmesan cheese
4 oz Grated Romano cheese -or added Parmesan cheese
1 ½ c Olive oil
Place all ingredients except black peppercorns in food processor and grind very fine. Add remaining olive oil and blend a few seconds until very smooth.
I like this recipe very much. It is nice to use as a topping for a Pesto Pizza, or Pesto Focaccia or a sauce for my favorite ricotta and spinach Tortelloni
Asian Pesto
1 c Oil
½ c Peanuts
2 small Green Chile peppers, -- seeded
1 tbsp Ginger, chopped
4 ea Garlic cloves
1 ½ c Basil leaves
¼ c Mint leaves
¼ c Cilantro leaves
3 tbsp Lemon juice
1 ½ tsp Salt
1 tsp Sugar
Heat oil in a small skillet until nearly smoking, then remove from the heat and add the peanuts. Allow to sit until lightly browned. Remove the nuts with a slotted spoon and drain, reserving the oil.
Put the peanuts in a food processor or blender and blend to a rough paste. Add the chilies, ginger and garlic and continue to blend,
Add the herbs and a little of the reserved oil, and continue to blend.
Add the salt, sugar and lemon juice, and blend until the herbs are very finely minced.
Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and Stir in the remaining oil.
Serve along side warm or cold noodles, and allow each eater to spoon sauce to taste over a helping of noodles.
Basil Pesto Sauce for Pasta
12 oz Linguine or Pasta of your choice
1 & ¼ c Chopped fresh basil packed
1/3 c Chicken stock or water
2 tbsp Roasted pine nuts
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp Crushed garlic
1. Cook pasta in boiling water according to package instructions or until firm to the bite. Drain and place in serving bowl.
2. In food processor, puree basil, stock, pine nuts, cheese, oil and garlic until smooth. Pour over pasta and toss.
Tips: refrigerate sauce up to 5 days ahead, or freeze up to 6 weeks.
Basil Sunflower Seed Pesto
4 c coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
1 c Un-hulled raw sunflower seeds
½ c Olive oil
1 c freshly grated Parmesan
2 tbsp Sweet butter, softened
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
In a blender in batches or in a food processor puree the basil with the sunflower seeds, the oil, the Parmesan, the butter, the garlic, and salt to taste.
Transfer the pesto to a small bowl and lay plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent discoloration.
The pesto keeps, covered and chilled, for 2 weeks.
Makes about 1 ½ cups.
To use the pesto: For every pound of dried pasta cooking in a kettle of boiling salted water, stir together in a heated serving bowl 3/4 cup pesto and 2/3 cup hot pasta cooking water. When the pasta is al dente, drain it in a colander, add it to the pesto mixture, and toss the mixture with lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
Blender Pesto
2 c Basil leaves, fresh packed
½ c Oil, olive
2 tbsp Pine nuts
2 ea Garlic cloves peeled
1 tsp Salt
½ c Cheese, parmesan grated
2 tbsp Cheese, Romano grated
3 tbsp Butter
Put the basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic cloves and salt in the blender or food processor, and mix at high speed.
Stop from time to time and scrape the ingredients down toward the bottom with a rubber spatula.
When the ingredients are evenly blended, pour into a bowl and beat in the two grated cheeses by hand. (This is not much work, and it results in a more interesting texture and better flavor than you get when you mix in the cheese in the blender.)
When the cheese has been evenly incorporated into the other ingredients, beat in the butter (softened to room temperature).
Before spooning the pesto over pasta, add to it a tablespoon or so of the hot water in which the pasta has been cooked.
Note: Pesto freezes very well, so you can make as much of it as you can when basil is in season. (Basil is also very easy to grow, and produces a lot). Spoon each serving (About 3 Tbsp) into small muffin tins and freeze. Or place "dollops" of it on a cookie sheet and when frozen, pop out cubes or pop off the "dollops" and put in plastic bags. This way, if you are just cooking for yourself, or for more, it's always available.
Cashew Parsley
3/4 c Cashews
Lots of basil-(about 6 T dried, probably a cup or two fresh chopped)
A few Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic
Parmesan or Romano cheese, about 1/2 cup grated.
Grind it all up in a food processor. You may want to add some water or a few drops of olive oil to get the right consistency, but you may not w/ fresh basil.
Serve on pasta (This is great for a tortellini salad. Works well cold or hot.)
Green Olive Pesto
I ½ cups large or jumbo green olives, -- such as ascolane,= pitted
½ red onion, -- finely chopped
¼ cups pine nuts
1 clove garlic, -- thinly sliced
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, -- give or take 1 ounce
In a food processor, combine olives, onion, pine nuts and garlic and blend I minute.
With motor running, slowly pour in olive oil until a thick; smooth paste is formed texturally resembling rough Béchamel.
Allow to stand 1/2 hour before using.
Yield: 2 ½ cups
HANDMADE PESTO
¾ cup pine nuts -- coarsely chopped
5 cups basil leaves -- chilled and perfectly dry
6 small garlic cloves -- quartered
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese -- freshly grated
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil -- plus more for sealing
Kosher salt
Pepper freshly ground
1. Preheat the oven to 400°
2. Macadamia nuts (6 ounces) may be substituted for the pine nuts. Toast the nuts on a baking sheet for about 4 minutes, or until lightly browned.
3. Coarsely chop the basil leaves. In a large mortar, combine the basil and garlic and pound to a coarse paste. Add the nuts and pound until a smooth paste forms. Stir in the Parmesan, then 3/4 cup of the olive oil. Transfer the pesto to a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Smooth the surface and pour a little olive oil on top to seal.
Notes: Pounding the ingredients in a mortar produces a pesto of incomparable texture: silky basil leaves and olive oil bind coarser bits of garlic and Parmesan.
MAKES ABOUT 1 1/2 CUPS
Nutty Basil Pesto 1 servings
5 c Basil leaves tightly packed and coarsely chopped
½ c Pine nuts
¾ c Olive oil
2 tbsp Miso,
Brown rice
3 tbsp Lemon juice freshly squeezed
3 Garlic cloves peeled
Put all the ingredients into a food processor fitted with the metal blade, and process until smooth.
This is great served on crackers or crostini.
Pesto Sauce Deluxe
3 cups fresh basil leaves 3 garlic cloves -- minced
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup black walnuts -- chopped
1 cup olive oil
Black pepper *
The cheese is optional but, if using, use a hard cheese and grate.
Use a food processor for easiest preparation.
Chop basil leaves in food processor or blender until finely chopped.
Mix the basil with chopped walnuts, minced garlic and cheese in the processor or blender.
While machine is running, slowly pour in a thin stream of oil.
Continue blending until desired consistency. Add black pepper.
PESTO SAUCE, WINTER STYLE
5 large Cloves Garlic
1 Bunch Parsley
1 ½ c Olive Oil
2 tbsp Dried Basil
2 oz Bottle Pignoli (Pine Nuts) or A Small Package of Fresh Pignoli
4 of Parmesan Cheese, Grated (Plus More for Dusting Pasta)
½ tsp Salt Peel and cut up the garlic cloves.
Rinse the parsley and remove the stems. Shake dry.
Add everything to the blender in the order given. Blend on high until the sauce is smooth.
Refrigerate, covered, until needed. This makes enough sauce for 2 lbs of pasta or 8 servings.
NOTES: You will need extra grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle over the pasta that you have added the sauce to. Do this just before serving. Leftover sauce freezes well. Use to flavor soups, or on broiled meat or fish, or as a spread on toasted French bread.
PESTO TOSCANO (TUSCAN PESTO)
18 oz Fresh kale
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp Salt
¾ c Olive oil
Wash the kale well in cold water & pat it dry.
Cut away the ribs & stem of the kale, leaving only the leafy greens.
Combine all the ingredients in a food processor & process to form a thick paste.
This will keep in the refrigerator for 5 or 6 days.
VARIATION: For a mellower & less robust flavor, blanch the kale in boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes.
This serves 12 as an appetizer on crostini.
PESTO WITH PARSLEY DILL & BASIL LEAVES
12 oz Spaghettini
2/3 c Parsley leaves, packed
1 c Basil leaves, packed
1/3 c Fresh dill
¼ c Olive oil
1/3 c Chicken stock
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
2 tsp Crushed garlic
2 tbsp Pine nuts toasted
1. Cook pasta in boiling water according to package instructions or until firm to the bite. Drain and place in serving bowl.
2. In food processor, puree parsley, basil, and dill leaves, oil, stock, cheese and garlic until well combined, approximately 30 seconds.
Pour over pasta. Sprinkle with pine nuts and toss.
You can refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 6 weeks.
PESTO (BASIL SAUCE)
1 c Basil leaves
2 tsp Garlic, minced
½ c Olive oil
2 tbsp Pine nuts, chopped
1/8 tsp Salt freshly ground black pepper
Puree all the ingredients in a blender or in a food processor. For the purist you want to do it the traditional way, pound the basil leaves, garlic, salt & nuts together with a mortar & pestle & then beat in the olive oil.
Use in soups or toss with hot pasta & serve as a main dish. Smaller quantities make an ideal appetizer. Will keep in the refrigerator or will freeze.
SPUR-OF-THE-MOMENT PESTO
Yield: 6 servings
1 ½ c Basil, globe, fresh
1 ½ c Basil, holy (krapau)
3 Garlic clove
2 tsp Chives chopped
1 ½ c Olive oil
1 c Parmesan grated
1 tsp Salt
½ tsp Pepper, black
½ c Pecan pieces
1 c Chicken, leftover minced
2 Anchovy fillets (optional, but a nice addition)
In a blender or food processor combine the basils, garlic, chives, cheese, anchovies, salt, pepper, and ½ cup of the olive oil.
Blend at low speed until a puree consistency is achieved.
Drizzle in the remaining oil, blending at low speed until the oil is completely incorporated.
Add the chicken and process no more than five seconds.
Add the pecans and process no more than another five seconds the chicken and pecans should still be identifiable.
Serve as a sauce for pasta salad or hot pasta.
SUN DRIED TOMATO PESTO
1 c Sun-dried tomatoes in oil
¾ c Cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ c Walnut pieces
2 large Garlic cloves -- halved
¼ tsp Salt ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
1/3 c warm olive oil
To make 2 cups of pesto: Position knife blade in food processor bowl and add tomatoes, and pulse 2 or 3 times or until tomatoes are chopped.
Add Parmesan cheese and next 4 ingredients. Top with cover and process until smooth.
With processor running, pour warm oil through food chute in a slow, steady stream, processing until combined.
Use immediately, or place in an airtight container, and refrigerate up to 1 week. Serve over hot pasta.
If one wonders what one can use Tomato pesto for try some of these suggestions.
1. Stir 1/4 cup pesto into one 8-oz. carton of sour cream for an instant and delicious dip for vegetables.
2. Try pesto as an omelet filling. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the sauce over half of a three-egg omelet fold omelet over, and serve.
3. Stir 3 tablespoons pesto into ½ cup softened unsalted butter. Serve the pesto butter as bread spread, or toss it with hot vegetables.
It also makes a great topping for a baked potato.
Sweet Basil Pesto
2 Cups Basil washed well, picked
1 Cup Spinach washed well, picked
¼ Cup chopped Garlic
½ Cup grated Parmesan Cheese
¼ Cup Pine Nuts
2 Cups Olive oil
1 Cup Corn oil
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
Blend all ingredients in a blender adding cheese in slowly at the end.
Pesto can be used for many items... Toss with pasta and grilled vegetables for a light summer dish...
Baste Salmon and grill it on a BBQ or marinate your chicken with lemon and Pesto, and then sauté or grill...
Fold a small amount of Pesto into mayonnaise and add a different twist to your sandwich or salads.
Any variation of Pesto can be made by simply omitting Basil and substituting another herb such as dill, sage, etc.
Three Herb Pesto
2 garlic cloves coarsely chopped
1 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup firmly packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves
½ cup toasted pine nuts -- cooled
½ cup freshly grated parmesan salt and freshly ground black pepper
¾ cups olive oil
In a blender or food processor finely chop the garlic, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula if necessary.
Add the herbs, pine nuts, Parmesan, salt, pepper and olive oil and process until smooth.
Pesto will keep stored in a airtight container and refrigerated for up to one week.
Pesto can also be frozen and stored for up to one month. Yield: about 1 quart
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Author Bio Box: Arlene Wright Correll
 Resources: Excerpted from “Food For Thought Series” by Arlene Wright-Correll
For more gardening or cooking information click http://www.learn-america.com/ and click on Arlene’s Books you can download or buy my gardening & cook books. All my royalties from the sale of my books go to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and we thank you for your attention to this site.
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