Super-quick batch pesto

Name: Super-quick batch pesto
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 16 portions
Ingredients: 200 g Parmesan cheese; 2 big bunches of fresh basil (60g each); 2 cloves of garlic; 100 g pine nuts; 100 g blanched almonds; 1 lemon; 100 ml extra virgin olive oil

Nuts, Parmesan & loadsa basil

“Using creamy almonds in this pesto gives us protein, as well as lots of other lovely nutrients, including a big hit of vitamin E, which we need to protect our cells from damage. ”

Makes 16 portions

Cooks In15 minutes

DifficultyNot too tricky

Super Food Family Classics Fruit

Nutrition per serving

Calories 188 9%
Fat 17.3g 25%
Saturates 3.8g 19%
Sugars 0.7g 1%
Salt 0.2g 3%
Protein 7g 14%
Carbs 1.3g 1%
Fibre 0g -

Of an adult's reference intake

Super Food Family Classics

By Jamie Oliver

Buy Now

Watch the Show

Tap For Method

Ingredients

200 g Parmesan cheese
2 big bunches of fresh basil , (60g each)
2 cloves of garlic
100 g pine nuts
100 g blanched almonds
1 lemon
100 ml extra virgin olive oil

Tap For Method

The cost per serving below is generated by Whisk.com and is based on costs in individual supermarkets. For more information about how we calculate costs per serving read our FAQS

Super Food Family Classics

By Jamie Oliver

Buy Now

Watch the Show

Tap For Ingredients

Method

Making pesto is such an easy thing to do, you’ll wonder why you’ve never gotten into the habit of doing it from scratch before. The quantities I’ve given you here mean you can utilize whole packets of Parmesan and nuts, and the method is so simple anyone can do it. This is one of those incredible recipes where minimum effort gives you maximum flavour, every time.
Break the Parmesan into a food processor (discarding the rind). Rip in the leafy basil, discarding only the tougher base of the stalks.
Peel and add the garlic, and tip in the pine nuts and almonds.
Finely grate in the lemon zest, squeeze in all the juice, and pour in the oil. Blitz until fairly fine in consistency.
The fresh pesto will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days, and it freezes brilliantly. The easiest thing to do is roll the pesto up in greaseproof paper to make a log, then scrunch the ends like a cracker. Pop into the freezer for 2 hours, then, before it gets too hard, remove, unwrap and slice into the appropriate number of portions. Re-shape, re-roll and re-wrap, then pop it back into the freezer – it’ll be good for at least 3 months.
To use from frozen, simply defrost overnight in the fridge, or whack it straight into a pan to melt.