Recipe of the Week, Pesto

I'm going to try to do a recipe each week along with my blog. This weeks inspiration comes from our herb garden which has produced more basil than we had ever hoped for. Up to this summer our growing of basil in our herb garden  have been mediocre at best. This year we have a bumper crop.  So, without further ado here it is.

Ingredient:
1 large fistful of Basil leaves and stalks
1 cup grated Percorino, Fontina, and Parmajano total
1/ 2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
1 cup toasted pine (Pinon) nuts
1/3 cup toasted walnuts

Direction; In a large bowl soak the fresh basil in cold water, and then gently remove the leaves from the stalks. Wash the leaves again in the salad spinner, and then spin till the water is removed.
In a 8 inch skillet toast the pine nuts and walnuts, (see photo below) till browned on all sides.
In a large food processor place the basil leaves, nuts, salt, pepper, the one cup of 3 cheeses, and give a couple of quick pulses. Use a rubber spatula to get  the ingredients off the sides, and pulse a few more times. Add the olive oil and pulse a couple of more times till everything is incorporated and you get the consistency that you want. Some people like it smooth, but I like a gritty grainy texture myself.
This recipe made around 3 1/2 cups of pesto. Use over pasta, spread on pizza or crustini, or stuffed chicken breast. That's it for this week.

Peace,

Make Food, Not War

Bumper crop of Basil

Toasted pine nuts

A  fistful of basil

mis en place

the finished product