Basic Basil Pesto Recipe (with pictures and steps)



Fresh sweet basil leaves



One of the easiest plants to grow in Virginia is a basil plant, and there is no shortage of this ingredient during the summer for one of the most versitile dishes around: basil pesto. Pesto is not only great on pasta, but on potatoes, bread, and meats as well. My favorite sandwich during this time of year is composed of freshly made bread evenly spread with pesto and topped with grilled chicken breast, fresh tomatoes, and mozzarella. Absolutely heavenly!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1./2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup pine nuts (I use walnuts because they are generally less expensive, but shhh...)
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• a pinch of salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Prepare your basil leaves by placing into a colander or a bowl, and rinsing with water. I am a little bit obsessive about how clean my food is, so I tend to wash the leaves several times before I am satisfied. Make sure the leaves are thoroughly dried before proceeding to the next step.
2. Combine ingredients into a food processor. If you are using walnuts, it is best to grind them along with the garlic before adding the leaves, as the leaves will tend to darken in color. For this post, I did not do this, so my pesto turned out darker than usual. It does not have any effect on taste; it's just a matter of color preference.
3. Pulse for a few seconds until leaves are evenly pureed. That's it!



Fresh Virginia basil pesto