Basil Pesto

Ummm...Basil Pesto. This one absolutely needs no words or introduction or even a recipe. Throw 5 basic ingredients in a blender and you have wonderful dip, or pasta/pizza sauce or salad dressing ready in a jiffy. Oh and did I mention it's so green and fresh?

So green..quickly took a picture without cleaning the side of the bowl!!

The only drawback is that just like guacamole, basil pesto also oxidizes :(. But I have had success with lime juice to keep the green of the basil actually green :D. When I am using it as a pasta sauce I don't add lime juice to it, but when using it on my whole wheat pizza or as a salad dressing or as a chicken/shrimp marinade..I add lime juice and it does not turn brown on me..phewww!!!

You can see the top has already begun to brown

I grab a generous amount of Basil leaves from a local fresh produce market named Felipe's at 99c a bag...awesome. I use the whole bag for 1 serving of the below recipe.

Basil Pesto
1 cup packed Basil leaves
2-3 tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese (I just throw in a big chunk of it..sometimes I throw in 2 ;)
1 1/2 tablespoon Pine Nuts or 12-14 Walnut Halves
2 fresh Garlic cloves
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Pepper (I add about 1/4th tsp pepper cos I like it..add more if you can take the heat)
1/2 teaspoon Lime Juice (optional)

Throw in all the ingredients in a blender and blend well to make a smooth paste. I use a Magic Bullet, but if you are using a food processor, would be a good idea to double the batch and use lime so you can store the left-over.

I always use the entire batch at once, but there have been times I have left over. To store, simply transfer to an airtight jar and pour some olive oil to make a thin film on top and refrigerate.

Ta-daa..basil pesto is ready. It really is a burst of freshness in your mouth. I have a tough time not licking my pasta bowl clean with the pesto...sooo good!! Oh yes...up next is my Pasta with Creamy Basil Pesto..of course without the cream :D

Happy Blending!!!!