I make pesto every August from the basil from my “plantation” in my backyard.
You should actually use a marble mortar and a wooden pestle but I admit that I use a hand blender.
INGREDIENTS
- 150g basil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 60 g grated parmesan
- 30 g grated pecorino
- a pinch of coarse salt
- 1-2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 100 g extra virgin olive oil
Crush garlic, salt and basil leaves and “hack” until a green juice starts running – this with the mortar. With the blender I add the ingredients in the same order but don’t wait for the juice to run. Add the pine nuts and the cheese and at the end pour the oil slowly. Taste and adjust salt.
I like mine creamy and not too garlicky.
You can put the pesto in a glass jar and keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks. Wait until the pesto has settled and then add some oil if needed. The pesto has to be covered with oil.
Another method is to put the pesto in small plastic cups or in the ice cube tray and freeze it which is what I do nowadays. EDITED it is best not to put the cheese if freezing the pesto but to add it when you use the pesto.
BUON APPETITO!