Handmade Basil Pesto

Pounding the ingredients in a mortar produces a pesto of a more traditional rustic texture.

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Course Base Recipe, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 10

Calories 93 kcal

Equipment

Pestle and mortar

Ingredients

1 bunch fresh basil leaves
3 cloves garlic peeled
3 tbsp pine nuts
80 g freshly grated Parmesan
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 tbsp olive oil extra virgin

Instructions

Toast the pine nuts on a baking sheet in the oven at gas mark 6 for about 4 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Coarsely chop the basil leaves. Combine the basil and garlic and pound to a coarse paste using the pestle and mortar. Add the nuts and pound until a smooth paste forms. Stir in the Parmesan, then 3/4 cup of the olive oil.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer the pesto to a serving bowl. Can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Notes

pesto is a generic term for anything that is made by pounding. Therefore this basic recipe can be adapted to many other variants by swapping in or out your favourite ingredients. Some examples include:

wild garlic
watercress
red pepper
avocado
hazelnut and green olive
pistachio and oregano
sun-dried tomato
rocket & walnut

The list goes on and is only really limited by your imagination!

A slightly different version of this sauce exists in Provence, where it is known as pistou which is generally made with olive oil, basil and garlic only: while cheese may be added, usually no nuts are included in a traditional pistou because no pine trees grow there to provide the nuts.

Keyword Quick