gltsoi (gltsoi) wrote,
gltsoi
gltsoi

Basil Walnut Pesto

Nothing says summer like pesto, with its bright, herbal flavor and beautiful green color. My mother spends all day in the garden and gives me bushels of produce every weekend. This week’s bounty included a huge bag of basil. 

This is a superb, bullet-proof recipe for classical pesto. If you make it exactly as described, people will think you are Italian.

 

Ingredients

2 cups

basil

1/2 cup

olive oil

2 Tbsp

pine nuts

2 cloves

garlic

1 tsp

salt

1/2 cup

Parmesan, grated

2 Tbsp

Romano cheese, grated

3 Tbsp

butter, softened (not melted)

 

Directions

In a blender, puree the basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, and salt. Pour the puree into a bowl.
   Using a spoon, stir in both cheeses. Finally, stir in the butter with a spoon. Note: It’s very important to use a spoon to stir in the cheeses and butter --- it makes a real difference in the resulting texture!
   You can freeze pesto, and then simply place the bowl in a hot water bath to reheat it without melting the cheese.


I picked up some fresh lemon pasta from Capone’s in Union Sq. in Somerville. It’s an excellent little Italian specialties shop. I didn’t have pine nuts, so I used walnuts instead. It made a nice variation. I tossed the whole thing with cubes of fresh mozzarella and a little crushed red pepper. I also made a quick bruschetta on rosemary focaccia.  Simple, easy and delicious, perfect for a summer meal.

Tags: main course, recipe
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