I absolutely love pesto, so when my basil plant was getting a little out of control this summer, I decided to make a bunch of it! I worked on this in two batches, one to serve right away and one to freeze. Whenever I freeze pesto, I hold off on adding the cheese until it is thawed and I’m ready to serve it – seems to work better that way.
I had so much, I was able to give a few of my friends jars of their own to enjoy!
Fresh Basil Pesto
Yields 1 cup
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper, to taste
In a food processor, combine the basil, garlic, and the pine nuts and pulse to chop fine. If using immediately, add in the cheese and pulse to combine. *See Notes if freezing.
With the food processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil until the mixture is well combined. You may have to stop a few times to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Season with salt & pepper.
Notes: If freezing, omit the cheese and stir in once thawed and ready for use.
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