- 800g PINENUTS
- 1.5 Litres OLIVE OIL
- 10 bunches FRESH BASIL - CUT AWAY STALKS FROM BASE OF LEAVES
- 5 cloves GARLIC - CRUSHED
- 600g FRESHLY GRATED PARMESAN
- 2 teaspoons SALT
Basil Pesto
Alexander Wood
25th February 2011
Basil Pesto
PLACE OLIVE OIL AND PINENUTS INTO A SUITABLY SIZED SAUCEPAN, GRADUALLY HEAT
AND COOK PINENUTS, STIRR
Ingredients
Method
PLACE OLIVE OIL AND PINENUTS INTO A SUITABLY SIZED SAUCEPAN, GRADUALLY HEAT
AND COOK PINENUTS, STIRRING FROM TIME TO TIME AS THE NUTS BEGIN TO TURN COLOUR
QUICKLY AND EASILY BURN - COOK UNTIL NUTS ARE JUST BECOMING GOLDEN, THEN POUR
OIL AND NUTS INTO A TRAY TO COOL.( THIS WILL HELP STOP NUTS OVER COOKING)
BLAST CHILL IF NECESSARY!
WHEN OLIVE OIL AND NUTS ARE COLD, PLACE INTO A FOOD PROCESSOR ( ROBOT COUPE)
ALONG WITH THE CRUSHED GARLIC, PARMESAN AND ROUGHLY CHOPPED BASIL. CHOP UNTIL
FINE OR CREAMY - WHICH EVER STYLE IS REQUIRED.
THEN SEASON A LITTLE ONLY.
SCRAPE INTO A CLEAN CONTAINER, COVER. DATE/LABEL AND REFRIGERTATE FOR UP TO 1
MONTH.
TIP - FOR A VERY FINE SAUCE, BLEND PESTO TO A PUREE USING A LIQUIDIZER, THIS
IS THEN VERY SUITABLE FOR USE AS A MUCH CREAMIER STYLE OF SAUCE.
ALTERNATIVELY - CHANGE THE FLAVOUR OF THE PESTO BY OMITTING HALF OF THE BASIL
AND RELACING IT WITH AN EQUAL QUANTITIY OF ANOTHER HERB OR SALAD LEAF
i.e. MINT, ROCKET, FLAT PARSLEY, CORIANDER, THAI BASIL.
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