homemade pesto
Nothing is more Italian than Pesto Sauce
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 3 cup fresh basil
- 2 garlic gloves
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese
- 5 tbsp grated Pecorino cheese
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Remove the basil leaves from the stems; gently wash the leaves under cold running water; do not fold them as they turn black easily.
- Spread the leaves onto a tea towel and dry them. They must be perfectly dry to make pesto.
- In a mortar, crush the garlic with some salt.
- Add the basil along with all the ingredients except the oil.
- Lightly toast the pine nuts in a skillet on the stove top for a few minutes until they turn golden brown (stir constantly); this will make a nuttier taste.
- Crush a few leaves of basil, adding only a few leaves at a time with long circular movements of the pestle until there’s a smooth and even paste.
- After crushing the basil, add the crushed garlic and pound the mixture until evenly blended. Add the cheese.
- and then the oil to bind the sauce and create a creamy paste.
- Season with salt.
Nutrition
Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 83mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 951IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg