Categories: basil, pesto

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 2 to 3 large garlic cloves, to taste
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/4 cup high-quality grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, or more to taste
• dash of salt, to taste

Directions

1. Rinse the basil well. Remove the leaves from the stems and place them in a salad spinner. Dry well and set aside. (Alternatively, dry the leaves with paper towels)

2. Peel the garlic cloves and drop through the feed tube of a food processor (or blender) onto a moving blade to finely chop. Add the basil leaves and pine nuts to the processor bowl, and pulse the motor just until coarsely chopped. Scrape down the sides of bowl. Add the cheese to the bowl.

3. Pour 1/3 cup oil slowly through the processor feed tube with motor running, and process until the oil is incorporated and the pesto is the consistency of cooked oatmeal. Scrap down the sides of the bowl. Taste the pesto and season with salt to personal preference. Add more oil (as before) until the desired consistency is reached.

4. Scrape pesto into a freezer-safe plastic storage container. Cover each container with a light film of oil. To thaw let the container stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight.

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