You know I made that rosemary pesto a while ago, yeah? It was good, but holy crap powerful.
Fortunately, my 2010 herb garden also features a couple of robustly healthy basil plants who have been enjoying our lovely hot dry July and August. And basil + pine nuts + parmesan cheese + garlic = pesto.
And Rouxbe has this rockin' recipe for pesto, and the video that goes with it (which I think you have to be a member to watch the whole thing) shows two ways of making it: by hand, and in a food processor.
I made it by hand, with my mezzaluna knife, to get the flavour layering promised in the video. And you know what? I got it. It tastes extraordinary.
I used two cloves of garlic, and asiago instead of pecorino and parmigiana-reggiano, because that's what I had on had. But otherwise I followed the recipe.
I may never buy commercially prepared pesto ever again. And I'm going to need lots more basil plants next summer. Lots more.
I was just looking at how much basil I have in my garden and figured I need to make pesto today also. I freeze it in 2 or 3 tablespoon portions for making creamy pesto sauce later.
ReplyDeleteI need to grow lots more basil next year, because I've made two batches of that recipe - yield about 1.25 cups each - and what with giving some as a gift and taking some as a contribution to a potluck, it didn't last long enough to freeze any, and I don't have enough leaves left to make another batch. :(
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