Homemade Basil Pesto
The great thing about this basil pesto recipe is that you can prepare it in bulk and have plenty on hand for whenever you need it, which should be quite often considering how useful it is!
Nutrition per Serving
-
Calories
110 6.00% -
Fat
10g 14.00% -
Saturates
2g 10.00% -
Protein
4g 8.00% -
Carbs
1g - -
Sugars
.5g 1.00% -
Salt
.05g 1.00% -
Fibre
1g 3.00%
Percentage of an adult's reference rate
Ingredients
- 1 decent handful of Pine Nuts
- ½ a clove of Garlic, finely chopped
- Coarse Sea Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 3 bunches of Fresh Basil, leaves picked and finely chopped
- 1 handful of finely grated Parmesan Cheese
Method
-
Place a frying pan over a medium-low heat. Once the pan is hot, add the pine nuts and cook them for 3-5 minutes, stirring every few seconds or so to ensure they are evenly toasted. Once browning, remove and set aside.
-
Add the garlic, basil and a pinch of salt to a pestle and mortar/food processor, then crush/blitz them until broken down evenly. Next add the pine nuts and continue to mash/blend until the contents are pasty. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and stir in half of the Parmesan cheese.
-
Begin adding the olive oil; there’s no exact measurement, simply add a little, stir until it binds the ingredients and you have an but oily still firm paste. Season with a little more salt and pepper, then add a bit more of the remaining cheese. At this point, taste it to be sure it has the flavour you want, so add or retain as much of the cheese as you like so it suits you preference. Add more oil too if the consistency is too stiff or dry. Once you are satisfied, you can serve immediately with bread or pasta, keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to a year.
