Toasting Pine Nuts
Toasting your pine nuts brings out their flavor. The quickest way to do this is on the stovetop. Place the pine nuts in a dry skillet (don’t add oil) and cook for about three minutes, stirring often. Alternatively, you can place them on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for five minutes at 350 degrees. Pine nuts can burn easily so make sure to watch them closely. While it is easy to pick up a jar of store-bought pesto, making your own is just as easy, and better! With this recipe you can control the flavors and tweak it to your hearts desire. I love it just how it is written, but you can certainly do more or less, salt, garlic, and cheese.
Fresh basil: Dried basil is nice for flavoring soups and pasta dishes, but fresh basil leaves are crucial for this pesto recipe. Garlic: Peel it and cut off the ends. It will mince in the food processor. Pine nuts: See below for how to toast them. You could easily use walnuts instead. Olive oil: When sautéing vegetables for a dish, I usually stick with regular olive oil, and reach for extra virgin olive oil when it come to my salad dressings. For this recipe, either one will work really well. Parmesan cheese: For a stronger cheese flavor, use Romano cheese. To make your pesto vegan, leave out the cheese or use nutritional yeast. For the best flavor, use freshly grated Parmesan. Salt and pepper
Combine basil leaves and garlic. Using a blender or food processor, mince well. Then add the pine nuts and blend until they are chopped. Add olive oil. Add the oil to the food processor while it is going. This will make the sauce smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and taste. Add more salt and pepper to taste. If you want a thinner sauce, you can add more basil leaves or more olive oil.
Even if you aren’t growing basil in your garden, it might be more cost effective to a buy basil plant or two on sale and use those. If you buy two, your plants won’t be completely stripped, and you will be able to pop them in your window and let the plants replenish for your next batch. To ensure that they get enough water, set them a tray, and every few days add an inch of water.
Pesto Pasta
We have so many great ways to enjoy pesto – seriously it’s one of my favorite ingredients to put a spin on a recipe. But it’s also perfect to toss with pasta. For a thin layer of pesto, you want to toss one batch of this recipe with a pound of pasta that has been boiled and drained. For a thicker layer of pesto, go with a smaller amount of pasta, all the way down to half a pound.
Look for a store that sells nuts in bulk. That way you can buy just the amount that you need for this recipe. This trick is super handy for lots of recipes. Replace the pine nuts with walnuts. You will want to also toast them, but they are significantly more budget friendly, and they work great in pesto.
To freeze your pesto, prepare the recipe as directed but leave out the cheese. Spoon the pesto into an ice cube tray and freeze. Then remove the individual cubes and store them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to six months. When you are ready to use it, let it thaw or defrost and mix in the Parmesan cheese before serving.
This Easy Pesto Pasta Salad is perfect for a picnic Put it on your favorite sandwich or these Italian Pesto Sliders. Combine pesto sauce with Alfredo sauce and pasta for a creamy pesto sauce. Use it for a fun spin on traditional chicken salad with my Pesto Chicken Salad.
