Mmmm - Pesto 


  This is my favorite pesto sauce, it's very easy, can be frozen and walnuts can be substituted for the expensive pine nuts if desired.

Put all ingredients but the cheese in a blender and blend until pasty. Add cheese and blend again. Heat and serve over fettucini, on top of steaks, spread on an oiled pizza shell and top with sliced tomatoes or hot peppers.

If you want to freeze it don't add the cheese until after it has been defrosted. The cheese tends to taste funny when frozen. Sometimes, I don't chop all the pine nuts and add some broken ones after blending to give the pesto texture.

Deborah Harding <harding6@worldnet.att.net>


Pesto can be made in many ways, very strong, or very mild; very coarse or very smooth. I like it smooth when used on pasta, but coarse when used as a spread on garlic bread or bruchetta. The "strong or mild" depends on how much garlic you like. I think Pesto is perfect if I can still taste the garlic in the middle of the night. If you like basil and garlic, you will love Pesto.

I usually make the base of pesto and freeze it. Then I can use only what I need. A pint jar of base can feed 25 people as a sauce.

Pesto Base

Pack leaves in the food processor (the blender is better, but make sure yours can handle the heavy load). Process off and on until well chopped. Pour in oil a bit at a time and process. The idea is get the base to the consistency of grainy mustard. It is better to use less oil than too much. To store, pack Pesto base in jars. Cover top with a good film of olive oil and freeze. It will also keep for quite some time in the refrigerator this way. Or freeze in ice cube trays with a little layer of olive oil over top, then remove, pack in ziploc bags and put back in the freezer. I've had a jar in the freezer for three years, every time I take some out of the jar, I pack the base back down and cover it with a fresh layer of olive oil.

 

Pesto for Pasta

Serves 2 to 4

Place all ingredients, except cheese, in blender and puree. The sauce should be the consistency of green pea soup. You can vary theconsistency by adding more or less water. You can also substitute cream for the water. Add a little pepper to taste. The sauce may still taste a little bland, that is because the cheese ( which contains the salt) has not been added.

Heat the sauce on low. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and toss with pesto sauce and as much cheese as your heart desires. NOTE: I do not add salt, as Parmesan cheese is salty.

maryf <maryf@earthlink.net>


Here is a good one, exported from MasterCook ; Serving Size : 1

Process garlic and basil in food processor to a coarse puree. Add cheese and process to blend. With the motor running add olive oil in a thin stream through the feed tube Add the pine nuts and blend until smooth. Season .

Notes: I use walnuts, as pine nuts are hard to come by here.

You can freeze your pesto , I prefer to do it before adding the cheese. If you want to I can also send you a great recipe for soup au pistou, where you use lots of basil. enjoy

Miriam Podcameni Posvolsky <miriamp@pobox.com>

 

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