Pestolicious

If you haven’t planted your herb garden yet, it’s time to get started. The first step is to decide what type of herbs to plant. Since this post is about pesto, I would suggest one of your herb choices to be basil so you can make basil pesto using the recipe below. You’re free to choose other herbs, but if one of your choices is not basil, your basil-free basil pesto is going to look a little less green and taste a little less good.

Lucky for you we’re giving basil away–just the basil, you’ll have to make your own pesto. But don’t worry, it’s so easy even Amanda could make it. I don’t think she has, but that’s probably because she’s been busy designing websites. Or maybe it’s because she just doesn’t want to.

Ingredients

• 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese

Directions

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.

If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.

Copyright 2003 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved. Food Network recipe page.

Now what? You can add pesto to your favorite pasta, sandwich, pizza, cracker, etc., then lift food to your mouth, chew, swallow, enjoy, repeat. And although this has not been clinically proven to do anything, pesto can be used as a face mask, but it should be noted that this method has been known to cause acne and squirrel attacks.