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Friday, July 9, 2010

Summer Tastes Like. . .Pesto

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Pesto is such a wonderful, easy meal to make in the summer.  Cooking is minimal and pesto only requires 5 ingredients!
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Pesto is so simple, you don't really even need a recipe, but just to make sure I got the measurements right I followed Mark Bittman's recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks.
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Basic Pesto - Ingredients:
- 2 loosely packed cups fresh basil leaves, big stems discarded, rinsed and dried
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 to 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts or walnuts, lightly toasted in a dry skillet or in the oven on a cookie sheet
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or more
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or other hard cheese
- cooked pasta
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Basil is the star ingredient in pesto, so make sure you use the freshest basil you can find.  I have lots of basil growing in pots on my deck so basil has been showing up in lots of summer meals lately.
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1.  Combine the basil, salt, garlic, nuts, and about half the oil in a food processor or blender.
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2.  Process, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container occasionally, and adding the rest of the oil gradually.  Add additional oil if you prefer a thinner mixture. 
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When finished, the pesto will look like this:
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Toss with freshly cooked pasta, top with additional nuts and grated cheese, and enjoy!
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Pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for several months.
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I've linked up to Tasty Tuesdays @ A Beautiful Mess.

17 comments:

  1. I'm pretty sure pesto is the yummiest stuff ever! I need to make some soon.

    Hope you have a great weekend!

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  2. Simple and delicious! I'm hungry now..

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  3. OOohhhh I might just make this tonight!! I have loads of fresh basil in the garden screaming to be pesto!! Yum, thanks for the recipe! Have a wonderful day. ~Stacey

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  4. That looks so, so good! Pesto is my favorite shade of green :)

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  5. This makes me wish I had grown some herbs this year. It looks really easy and I will have to check out that cookbook.

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  6. We love pesto at our house! Your fresh basil looks so vibrantly green. I can feel the wonderful aroma through the computer screen. M-m-m-m...

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  7. I so LOVE pesto on tortellini, but never even thought of making my own! YUM!!

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  8. That looks delicious! I have a great pesto chicken recipe from Giada that I need to post. So fresh and yummy! Thanks for the recipe!

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  9. As a fellow Michigander, I just love stopping in to see all of your recipes and projects. Everything always looks to yummy, fresh, and simple. Thank you for sharing!

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  10. Yummy Pesto, but then I would be biased wouldn't I Alissa?

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  11. Sounds pretty easy to create.. Thanks for sharing..
    http://www.gonegreensite.com/

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  12. I gotta check out that cook book too! And your pics are so amazing!
    Have a great weekend!

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  13. Pesto is fantastic. It even freezes well too! We will have to make some more. Love your pics Alissa, they are great.

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  14. I am going to have to make this...I love pesto, but have never made it! Looks fantastic, as usual!

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  15. So pretty and yummy! Love pesto!

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  16. Thanks so much for linkin up to tasty tuesdays. Can't wait to try it!

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