The fragrance is utterly intoxicating! Beautiful fragrant leaves of fresh basil are blended with a luscious extra-virgin olive oil, savory notes of garlic, along with the nuttiness of Parmesan cheese and toasted pecans. A simple sauce that’s simply delightful!
When Emily was little, I decided to plant a garden. Having been raised around gardens, I had some idea what I was doing. We tilled up a portion of our yard and ended up with a garden a bit larger than we expected. But it was glorious, full of flowers, vegetables and herbs. One thing I hadn’t planned was the enormous bounty that would follow. I had both bell and jalapeño peppers by the bushel baskets, so we made pepper jelly by the gallons. The freezer was packed with vegetables and the herbs were prolific, including basil – leading me down the path of making fresh pesto.
Traditional pesto starts with basil, garlic, kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, followed with a generous pour of extra-virgin olive oil. And instead of pine nuts I toss in toasted pecans, as I always have them on hand.
Tossed with strands of angel hair pasta, it’s a quick and elegant dish.
Pesto is also wonderful served as a dollop on soups or as a spread for sandwiches. It’s also superb rolled up in a delicate puff pastry, creating a fun appetizer!
Though in a pinch you can grab a jar off the shelf, nothing compares to a fresh batch of pesto sauce.
Simply delicious!
Pesto Sauce
1-½ cups fresh basil leaves, packed when measuring
1-½ teaspoons chopped garlic, about 2 cloves
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
⅓ cup chopped toasted pecans
Toss the basil leaves, garlic, kosher salt and black pepper into the bowl of a food processor.
Process for about 10 to 15 seconds or until the leaves are finely chopped.
With the processor running, pour the olive oil through the top opening and process for about 10 seconds.
Add the toasted pecans and pulse about 10 to 12 times or until the nuts are finely chopped and blended into the pesto.
Transfer the pesto to a small mixing bowl. Add the Parmesan cheese, stirring to combine.
Makes ¾ cup pesto.
Super simple to make, a batch makes enough to toss with about 12 ounces of pasta and keeps refrigerated for two weeks.
Pesto Sauce
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 1-½ cups fresh basil leaves, packed when measuring
- 1-½ teaspoons chopped garlic, about 2 cloves
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup chopped toasted pecans
Instructions
- Toss the basil leaves, garlic, kosher salt and black pepper into the bowl of a food processor.
- Process for about 10 to 15 seconds or until the leaves are finely chopped.
- With the processor running, pour the olive oil through the top opening and process for about 10 seconds.
- Add the toasted pecans and pulse about 10 to 12 times or until the nuts are finely chopped and blended into the pesto.
- Transfer the pesto to a small mixing bowl. Add the Parmesan cheese, stirring to combine.
