PESTO PER FAVORE

I HAD A HUGE GENOVESE BASIL PLANT IN MY GARDEN ONE SUMMER, and was totally unable to keep up with it. After pulling out my food processor and letting it languish on the kitchen counter for a week, I finally trimmed those shaggy bushes and made pesto! It’s so easy. Passare il pesto, per favore.

Fresh basil from the kitchen garden.

INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS

INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING HOMEMADE PESTO

• Huge bunch basil (I used essentially the entirety of the plant pictured), de-stemmed

• 9 oz. grated parmesan cheese

• 5-7 cloves crushed or diced garlic

• 7 oz. crushed walnuts

• 2 cups olive oil

• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 1 tablespoon sea salt

Ingredients for making pesto.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING HOMEMADE PESTO

MIX ALL NON-BASIL INGREDIENTS IN A LARGE BOWL TO COMBINE, then slowly stir in basil. Once mixed, fire up your food processor, pulse ¼ of mixture until smooth, add one more quarter, pulse, and so on until entire batch is smooth. Makes a few pints. Add oil or vinegar as needed. Save a couple for yourself, then put the rest in ½ pint jars for a perfect gift of yummy.

Fruits of our labor.