Pesto with Basil is a traditional Italian sauce made with garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and Parmesan. It lends itself to numerous variations. You can replace the basil with spinach or parsley. You can use walnuts or pistachios instead of pine nuts. For my family, I often use toasted sunflower seeds; because my grandchildren are allergic to all nuts.
I use Pesto with Basil not only as a sauce for pasta. I spread it on fish before baking, on puff pastry for hors d’oeuvres; and I make a Non-Dairy Pesto –https://kosherbygloria.com/pesto-non-dairy/ to spread on lamb chops before roasting. Anyway you use Pesto, I have no doubt that it will become a favorite in your house as it has in mine.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Pesto with Basil
By Published: April 14, 2019
Yield:
- 3/4 cup
Ingredients
- 4 large garlic cloves peeled
- 4 ounces pine nuts toasted
- 2 ounces fresh basil leaves
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
Equipment
- electric food processor steel knife inserted
Directions
- Place garlic, pine nuts and basil in bowl of processor. Pulse until ingredients are finely chopped. While the processor is running, pour lemon juice and olive oil through the feeding tube. Process until a sauce has formed. I like a little texture in my Pesto; but you can purée it until smooth if you like. Scrape sauce into a mixing bowl and stir in one cup of grated Parmesan. Taste. Add more if desired.
