Description
Classic basil pesto from Italy combines fresh herbs with pine nuts and parmesan cheese, creating a versatile sauce perfect for pasta and sandwiches. Rich flavors blend seamlessly, offering Mediterranean culinary magic you’ll savor with each delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ cup (118 ml/4 fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups (473 ml/16 fl oz) fresh basil leaves, packed
- ⅓ cup (50 g/1.8 oz) pine nuts
- ½ cup (50 g/1.8 oz) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Toasting Nuts: Heat an ungreased skillet over medium-high flame, carefully moving pine nuts to achieve an even golden roast without burning, releasing their rich, nutty essence for approximately 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
- Cooling Preparation: Swiftly remove the skillet from heat, transferring the toasted pine nuts to a cool surface to halt the cooking process and preserve their delicate, aromatic flavor profile.
- Blend Assembly: Combine the toasted pine nuts with fresh basil leaves, garlic, parmesan cheese, and olive oil in a food processor, pulsing methodically to create a smooth, vibrant green pesto with a consistent texture.
- Seasoning Refinement: Introduce salt and freshly ground black pepper, blending briefly to integrate the seasonings and enhance the pesto’s overall depth of flavor.
- Storing and Serving: Decant the freshly crafted pesto into a sealed container, drizzling a thin layer of olive oil on top to prevent oxidation, and refrigerate until ready to accompany pasta, spread on bread, or use as a vibrant culinary accent.
Notes
- Prevent Burning: Keep pine nuts in constant motion while toasting to avoid scorching and ensure even golden color.
- Watch Color Closely: Look for a light golden hue as the key indicator of perfectly toasted nuts, which signals maximum flavor development.
- Listen for Toasting Cues: Pay attention to subtle crackling sounds that indicate the pine nuts are releasing their rich, nutty essential oils.
- Cool Immediately: Remove nuts from heat instantly after toasting to stop the cooking process and preserve their delicate flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 248
- Sugar: 0.2 g
- Sodium: 83 mg
- Fat: 27.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 23.1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3.9 g
- Fiber: 0.7 g
- Protein: 3.5 g
- Cholesterol: 6 mg