Community post
Making Delicious Pesto
I have to admit, one of my all time favorite things to eat is has always been a good pesto. Clearly, not all pestos are the same, and it really depends on the mix of ingredients. At this point it's a to each their own issue. So this is mine. After ongoing trial and error, this is the pesto I have discovered for myself to be the best. As for the how-to, there's really not too much to it. It's the same for most ingredients.
What Goes In It
Basil of course comes first and foremost. However, I have discovered that aromatic basil also combines really well with parsley. So normally I take half-and-half of each. So much for the greens. Instead of the pricey pine-nuts (yes, even in a country like Mexico, were they're grown in extensively, they are a bit expensive) I prefer using pecan nuts - a good generous amount. A few cloves of garlic, salt, and can't forget about the olive oil.
Sequencing it in the Blender
To make sure they get blended well together, the order of things are important. First I add the salt, the nuts and the garlic. I cover them half-way with oil, and bled it all together. So far easy. Next come the leaves. Here I take my time, adding it bit by bit, otherwise the blender ends up running without blending, as all the stuff gets caught above the blades. Even this way, I need to stop and give it a bit of a stir, pushing things down into the already blended mix.
Done!
Now the pesto is ready to be applied. And there's really no need to use it exclusively as a pasta sauce. Here I cut a few slices of bread, spread the pesto on top, and added some cheese. Very delicious!
Replies (10)
I love a good pesto. And yes, mixing up ingredients is perfectly acceptable (ask @clareartista and @vincentnijman about their nettle pesto) - I tend to use pepitas as they're cheap or maybe sunflower seeds! I do wish I had a good blender though...
Mmmmm, yum! Yes - lovely post, @stortebeker and @riverflows - aye; we make pesto with pestel & mortar, using all kinds of stuff we find in our garden, kitchen and the wilds... lately, si, with nettles to pad out our meagre basil supplies: nomnom!
I'm looking forward to experimenting with different greens coming up on our land 😍🙌🤗 and with flowers too 😋🥳
First time I made pesto I used a mortar too. It's pretty common here in Mexico, for making salsa (which, let's face it, is just another form of pesto). But very quickly I switched to the blender, for obvious reasons. Nettles are yummie, but I love your idea of making whatever-pesto: whatever happens to be growing, greens and flowers.
Ohhh, I really should try the pepitas! Or other seeds and nuts. Really, there are so many new tastes waiting to be discovered. When I first used walnuts, they were supposed to be a cheap alternative to the pine nuts. But the pecans I now use have their own flavor, which I like a lot. But pumpkin seeds taste so nice too, I really should try it them next time!
As an Italian I'm absolutely a fan of home made pesto it's always an appreciated recipe for everyone!!!❤️
That pesto looks so fresh and delicious! I love how simple ingredients can turn into something so flavorful. Thanks for sharing, now I'm craving some pasta! 😋🌿🍝
Do you mix parsley or other herbs with the basil? And what kind of nuts (or seeds) do you like to put in it?
Nice! I'm glad my recipe got your cravings going!
Yesssss ... 🍱💓