Wynette Richards

Basil Pesto

The Recipe

• 3/4 cup walnuts or pine nuts (Haven't tried it with pecans, but I bet they'd be just as good or better.)
• 3 or 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup olive oil (formerly was 3/4 but we've found 1/2 works fine)
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese
• 1/4 tsp salt, or more to taste
• 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves

1. In all the steps below, be careful not to puree. Things should be mixed well, but not over-processed.
2. Put nuts into food processor and pulse a few times.
3. Add garlic and pulse a few more times.
4. Add the oil and pulse till it is incorporated. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides.
5. Add cheese and pinch of salt and pepper pulse until blended.
6. Add basil and pulse a few more times. Blend till basil is incorporated, but so the pesto still has texture. Scrape sides often.
7. After tasting, if you want to add more of any ingredient(s), fine to add now and pulse a few more times.
8. Serve with pasta and/or fresh chopped tomatoes or toasted bread or baked potatoes, etc.
9. Store what you don't use in the refrigerator. Keeps several days.
10. Or, you can freeze in an ice cube tray and then transfer chunks to plastic freezer bags. Freezes very well.

1. Feel free to adjust all ingredient quantities to taste.
2. It might work to use a blender instead of a food processor, but I'm not sure. We have a little 4-cup mini food processor and that works fine.