The best basil pesto
The Italian classic with basil, Parmesan & pine nuts
The best basil pesto
Serves 6
Cooks In5 minutes
DifficultySuper easy
Nutrition per serving
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Ingredients
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 large bunch of fresh basil , (40g)
- 50 g pine nuts
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 50 g Parmesan
- optional:
- 1 cooked Jersey Royal or new potato
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Method
- Peel and bash the garlic in a pestle and mortar with a pinch of sea salt.
- Pick the basil leaves and add with the pine nuts, and pound to a coarse paste.
- Muddle in the extra virgin olive oil and finely grate and stir in the Parmesan, adding a splash of water if you like it a little runnier, then continue bashing and pounding until smooth.
- Have a taste and season with salt and black pepper, if needed. For a lovely creamy finish, try crumbling in and stirring through a cooked Jersey Royal. Serve with grilled meat or fish, or simply stirred through pasta – delicious!
Tips
If you don’t have a pestle and mortar, you can use a blender or food processor instead.
ALTERNATIVE FLAVOUR COMBOS:
– Use half basil and half rocket, replace the pine nuts with walnuts, and use pecorino instead of Parmesan to keep things veggie.
– Swap out pine nuts for almonds and basil for rocket.
– Use hazelnuts in place of pine nuts and replace basil with flat-leaf parsley.
– Go for an Asian vibe and use cashews, coriander and a squeeze of lime.
