As I write this it’s literally the final day of summer and I’m feeling compelled to capture every last bit of the season, which includes harvesting the tender basil before it meets its’ demise from the cool mountain nights! The bright green color along with the bright slightly spicy/peppery flavor just seem to sing summer and freshness. And preserving that freshness in a pesto sauce is a perfect way to extend that “basily” summery feeling.
You have no basil to harvest you say? Or perhaps you’re reading this blog in the bleak of January in Minnesota?? Have no fear, lucky for most of us, we can buy fresh basil year round at our local grocer. If you can hunt out a package that is about 4 ounces of basil, you will be well on your way to making homemade pesto. The remainder of the 6 needed ingredients include good extra virgin olive oil, walnuts (I’ve always used walnuts, even though pine nuts are the more traditional route. But if you’d rather use pine nuts, go right ahead!), garlic, parmesan cheese and salt.
Pesto in Italian means “to pound”, and therefore refers more to the process than the actual end product. The traditional method of making a pesto, be it with basil or some other leaves, is to pound it in a mortar and pestle along with the other ingredients. I however, have yet to try this method (does anybody really have time for that?) and instead generally rely on my Cuisinart to take up the work of “pounding” my ingredients into a luscious sauce. After you have all your ingredients prepped, it takes about 15 seconds in the Cuisinart!
Once you have whizzed up your Basil Walnut Pesto Sauce your options are WIDE open as to how you can actually use it! You could:
- Dress it up in a cute vintage jar and give it away as a gift.
- Skim coat a roasted salmon fillet with it to add richness and powerful flavor.
- Do the same, but with a grilled chicken breast.
- Create a pesto panini! (With your fav GF bread for those who need it!)
- Stir about 1/4 cup of pesto into a cup of plain yogurt to create a pesto dip.
- Top your favorite scrambled eggs or omelette with a dollop.
- Spread on bruschetta and top with cherry tomatoes and grated mozzarella.
But, even though there are a myriad of ways to serve Basil Walnut Pesto, I must admit that tossing it with pasta is my comfort go to! (And I’m pretty sure I have a few kids who feel the same, since Pesto Pasta was a birthday meal request for MANY years!!) Because basil is sensitive to heat, and can turn black when it gets too hot (or too cold for that matter) I toss the pesto and pasta together in a serving bowl, rather than stovetop like I do with most other pasta dishes when I’m combining the pasta and the sauce. I usually ladle in some of the pasta water to help thin the pesto and help it easily mingle with the pasta. Once the pasta is evenly coated, serve with some freshly cracked pepper and some more freshly grated parmesan…..because there is no such thing as too much parmesan! Buon Appetito!!
Basil Walnut Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Fresh Basil Leaves, packed (about a 4 oz package )or 2 large bunches)
- 3/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 Cup Toasted Walnuts
- 1-2 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Heaping Cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
- Pinch of Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Rinse and gently dry the basil leaves-I usually dry them in my salad spinner.
- Place the toasted walnuts in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until chopped. (Note: I usually toast mine in a fry/saute pan over medium high heat for about 5 minutes. Watch them closely as nuts have a tendency to burn easily! Cool for a few minutes before chopping them.)
- Add the minced garlic and the basil to the bowl and pour about half of the olive oil over the top. Pulse a few times to begin chopping the basil, and then scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- With the motor running, add the remaining olive oil in a steady stream. Stop as soon as the basil is finely chopped
- By hand, fold in the grated cheese and salt. Taste and add salt or a grind of pepper as needed
- This will make enough pesto to dress one pound of pasta. If you are not using immediately, add enough oil to skim coat the top of the pesto in storage container to prevent oxidation.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months. To store in smaller portions, freeze in ice cube trays or silicon molds.
Great idea to use walnuts. Never thought of it but will give it a try.