Hi friends! One of my absolute favorite parts of summer is PESTO. GIMME!
I don’t like to buy those little jars at the store. First of all, they’re super expensive. Second, they’re so tiny! I’d need at least three of them to actually do something worthwhile.
So thank you but no thank you. I can make my own pesto. Which by the way, is super easy to do and is extremely cost effective when basil is in season. I’ve been buying tons of basil from my local farmer’s market and have been putting it to good use lately.
When I make pesto, I make lots and lots of it. I store them in little glass mason jars and freeze them. You could can them as well. Last year, I freezed much pesto that I used my last jar in December. #winning
So first things first – get out there and buy lots of basil! If you don’t want to make the pesto right away, SKIP storing the basil in the fridge. My recommendation? Treat your basil like a flower. I put a couple of inches of water in a mason jar and display my basil proudly. It also makes the house smell AH-mazinggg.
I’ve kept my basil fresh like this for more than a week. Try it!
When you’re ready to make pesto, here is what you need:
Basil
Parsley
Pine nuts
Salt
Pepper
Roasted garlic cloves
Extra-virgin olive oil
Put all your ingredients into a high-powered blender or food processor and let it whir away until you reach pesto consistency. Add a little extra olive oil if it’s too dry and add extra salt to taste. Then all you have to do is find a way to eat it! Put it on pasta or zoodles, mix it in with sauteed veggies, or simply put it in your freezer for the winter months when basil is out of season. SO MANY OPTIONS!
- One bunch of basil
- One bunch of Italian parsley (the flat leaf kind)
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- ½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp pepper (freshly ground, if possible)
- 3-6 roasted garlic cloves
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little extra if necessary
- Add all ingredients to the food processor or high-speed blender.
- Blend until it reaches pesto consistency. Add more olive oil if it seems a little dry, and taste to see if it needs more salt.