You have a lot of basil leftover. Minimize waste and make some pesto!
This video is part 3 of our herb series. Last two weeks, we cleaned and cut the soft herbs. This week, we’re building on our knowledge.
Today we’re going to make sure we don’t waste these fragrant basil by making some pesto. There are different pesto recipe variations. Today we’re making a pesto recipe version that is accessible, affordable and quick.
Pesto Recipe:
2 packed cups of basil leaves only. (2 bunches)
2 tbsp. Walnuts (instead of pine nuts), preferably Italian
2 peeled garlic cloves
1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (instead of ¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and ¼ cup Pecorino cheese)
½ cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (preferably from Liguria in Italy, but any kind will do)
½ lemon juice, 1-2 tbsp (to keep the basil fresh and bright)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon, salt (not coarse)
You’ll also need:
Food processor, spatula, a container with a lid and ice cube tray.
Instructions:
Build your sauce in the food processor, liquids first, then solids, leaves last. Process for a minute. Use the spatula if there are big pieces of basil, push the mixture towards the center and push the leaves closer to the blade.
Store in jar tightly. It’ll be good in the fridge for 1 week.
Store in ice cube tray. Good for 3 weeks.
Note: Remove the frozen basil and store in a zip bag or freezer friendly container so they don’t pickup any smells or tastes from other frozen food.
You can use pesto on any kind of pasta; as a condiment like you would mustard to make your sandwiches a little more special; or on top toast with cream cheese and tomato. Get creative!
Health Benefits: Pesto helps lower inflammation from the basil and garlic; and it also increases HDL, the helpful cholesterol thanks to the Omega 3s found in extra virgin olive oil and walnuts
Take your time, breathe, pay attention to the ingredients’ transformation before your eyes and savor all the flavors and textures.
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