BASIL PESTO

It’s easy to find store-bought basil pesto, but it’s also a snap to make it fresh at home. Add a few spoonsful to hot pasta, spread it on a pizza, swirl it into bread or scone dough, use it as a salad dressing or serve it as a condiment with grilled or roast meat. You’ll find that the pesto possibilities are endless.

Yield: Makes 1 cup

BASIL PESTO

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, tightly packed
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts, walnuts or almonds
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

  1. Place all ingredients except oil in a food processor; process until mixture is paste-like in consistency.
  2. With machine running, gradually add oil through feed tube in a thin steady stream, processing until mixture is the consistency of thick cream.
  3. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. May be frozen for up to 1 month.
Nutritional analysis per 2 tbsp:

185 calories, 18.6 g fat, 3.8 g protein, 1.7 g carbohydrate, 0.5 g fibre, 190 mg sodium

modalImg