Basil Pesto

sauce garlic nut quick & easy parmesan basil

Rawia Bishara

Makes 2 cups

Source

Ingredients

3 to 5 cloves garlic

1 cup pine nuts, slivered almonds or walnut halves

2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or to taste (optional)

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

4 packed cups chopped fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for storage

Juice of 2 lemons

Crushed red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

Method

Put the garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Toss in the nuts, Parmesan, if using, pepper and salt and chop until the nuts are finely crushed, about 1 minute. Add the basil, oil and lemon juice and pulse for 1 minute more, until smooth. Stir in red pepper flakes, if desired.

To store, transfer the pesto to a sterilized jar with a tight-fitting lid. Pour a thin layer of olive oil on top of the pesto, seal and refrigerate up to 10 days or freeze up to 3 months.