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Basic Blender Pesto
Servings 2 Cup
Ingredients
- 2 C fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 C olive oil
- 2 T pine nuts toasted
- 2 cloves garlic lightly crushed
- 1 t salt
- 1/2 C Parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- Combine basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, and salt in blender or Cuisinart at high speed (use pulse feature on Cuisinart). Stop, scrape, and start a few times. When evenly blended, add parmesan and blend to preferred consistency.
Notes
Note: If you do not have a blender or herb chopper on board, pesto can be made using a pestle and mortar and elbow grease. This is a labor intensive method that requires a large pestle and mortar. You would want to finely chop the basil and pine nuts and mince the garlic to speed the process. Start with the garlic, salt and enough olive oil to grind into a thin paste, then gradually add basil and remaining olive oil as you grind away. Purists favor this method, claiming richer flavor.