Classic basil pesto
You can vary this basil pesto recipe by using different herbs such as mint, coriander or flatleaf parsley, or replacing the pine nuts with almonds, cashews or walnuts.
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Ingredients
- 1 small garlic clove
- Pinch of sea salt
- 25g pine nuts, very lightly toasted
- 50g fresh basil leaves (this is the amount of picked leaves you get from a large pot from the supermarket)
- 25g Parmesan, finely grated
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 125ml extra-virgin olive oil
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Method
METHOD 1
In a small food processor
- Put the garlic and a pinch of sea salt in the bowl and pulse, then add the pine nuts and pulse again until roughly chopped (be careful not to over-process). Add the basil and pulse carefully until it is well mixed but still very textured. Turn into a bowl and stir in the Parmesan and lemon juice. Pour in the olive oil, mixing to a juicy paste. Season to taste.
METHOD 2
In a pestle and mortar
- Put the garlic and sea salt in a mortar and pound with the pestle until smooth. Add the pine nuts and pound until they are roughly crushed. Add the basil and continue to pound and mash, bruising the leaves, until it starts to form a paste. Turn into a bowl and stir through the Parmesan and lemon juice. Pour in the oil and mix to a juicy paste, seasoning as you go.
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