Basil Pesto

While there are so many basil pesto recipes out there, I still wanted to share my favourite recipe with you. I make this recipe at least 2-3 times every Summer when basil is at it’s best. It is full of basil flavour and I just love the combination of basil, pine-nuts, parmesan cheese and garlic – heady and delicious! This screams Summer to me.

Today I am sharing my favourite Basil Pesto recipe. I find home-made pesto to be so much better than store-bought. There really is no comparison in my eyes. If you are a fan of pesto, and have never made it yourself, you simply must. A food processor makes it a cinch to make and the freshness and taste is far superior.

Pesto is traditionally made using a Mortar and Pestle, however a food processor makes this recipe very quick and easy.

I make batches of this pesto every Summer when basil is in abundance. It freezes really well too so I always make a batch at the end of the season as that way I can use it in the following months.

Ingredients to make this recipe

• basil leaves – this recipe uses 2 packed cups of freshly picked leaves. I find anywhere between 100g and 120g in weight to be sufficient. Wash and dry the leaves well. Wash them in cold water to remove any grit then place in a tea towel and pat dry.
• garlic cloves – I do like a garlicky pesto. If you prefer a milder flavour, then reduce to 2 cloves of garlic. Always crush the garlic first before adding to the food processor. That way the garlic is distributed throughout the pesto and you won’t bite into a large chunk of garlic.
• sea salt
• olive oil – use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil that you like the taste of. I use a fruity variety.
• pine nuts – I always use pine nuts in basil pesto. Some recipes use toasted pine nuts but I actually prefer to use them fresh without toasting. If you are not a fan of pine nuts, then you can substitute with walnuts, almonds or even pumpkin seeds (a nut-free alternative).
• parmesan or pecorino cheese – use freshly grated if you can, or a good quality ‘grated’ parmesan. If the parmesan is finely grated, I stir it through the pesto at the end instead of processing it. To make a vegan pesto, you can substitute the parmesan cheese with vegan cheese or nutritional yeast.

Tips to making this Basil Pesto

• Wash and dry the leaves well in cold water. Remove as much moisture from the leaves as you can without bruising them (I pat them dry with a tea towel). Some recipes suggest blanching the leaves first to preserve the green colour, however I have never done this and have found my pesto to have a beautiful vibrant green colour.
• Always crush the garlic cloves first before adding them to the food processor. That way they are distributed evenly and you won’t bite into a big chunk.
• When storing the basil pesto, add a thin layer of olive oil over the top to cover, before sealing the jar or container. This prevents the top from browning. Store pesto for up to a week in the fridge or freeze for up to 3 months.

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Serving Suggestions

• toss through pasta
• toss through zucchini noodles – a combination we like is chopped baby tomatoes, crumbled feta and pesto with zucchini noodles
• use in sandwiches or toasted sandwiches
• serve on top of crostini with tomato or even cooked prawns (add a dollop of mayo to the pesto)!
• instead of garlic bread, make pesto bread
• add to raw scone mix or bread dough
• add to rice or pasta salads
• use as a pizza topping
• serve a dollop with eggs, frittatas or quiche