Talk to me about Pesto...

[soonermomma]

Do you make your own or do you buy it already made? If you make it do you have a recipe you can share? What all do you use it for?

 

I have been buying a jar at the grocery store and it is really good. My kids love it. I have been putting it on cork screw past and thin slicing grilled chicken to mix in with the pasta and that has become a favorite meal around here. The jar I have been buying is basil pesto. That is the only flavor I have found.

 

So, talk to me about pesto!

[chepyl]

I make basil pest when we have enough basil, otherwise I buy it at the store. I love it on tortolinni. It is olive oil, basil, I use walnuts, and parmesan cheese. I don't know what measurements I use....I just eyeball it. I am pretty sure it starts with a cup of basil leaves.

[kalanamak]

Do you make your own or do you buy it already made? If you make it do you have a recipe you can share? What all do you use it for?

 

I have been buying a jar at the grocery store and it is really good. My kids love it. I have been putting it on cork screw past and thin slicing grilled chicken to mix in with the pasta and that has become a favorite meal around here. The jar I have been buying is basil pesto. That is the only flavor I have found.

 

So, talk to me about pesto!

 

You can use walnuts instead of pine nuts. Sometimes it is hard to find pine nuts that aren't borderline rancid.

For something completely different use walnuts, walnut oil and Italian parsley or cilantro.

Use the best quality cheese you can afford/get, and the olive oil should be decent, too.

Mixed with a little extra EVOO, it makes a terrific base on unbaked pizza crust, which you can then put a single layer of fresh spinach on an the sauce/topping on it. WOW.

[Belacqua]

You know when you go to the farmers' market and get inspired with all those good intentions? You buy a big bag of arugula? Or six bunches of radishes with those gorgeous leaves? Then you eat a serving or two and notice, three days later, that you have to do something with those lovely vegetables?

 

Pesto!

 

Leaves, nuts (pine, wal-, pecan...doesn't much matter), grated parm, olive oil. Salt if you like it. Slap it all in the food processor or blender. It freezes beautifully, and you'll feel so virtuous you can hardly stand yourself.

 

Slather some on chicken breasts before baking them. Drizzle a bit more olive oil on prior to cooking if you're feeling especially frisky. Looks kind of ugly, really, but tastes glorious.

[cjzimmer1]

Here's the recipe I use:

 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pesto/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=pesto&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

 

I don't always use pine nuts as they get pricey but in those cases I will add walnuts or slice almonds (whole almonds are a bit rough on my food processor). I also add 1 tsp garlic salt because I don't salt my noodles when I cook them. We just eat the pesto on noodles as a side dish. I freeze it in double batch recipe in 18 ounce glass peanut butter jars. I use an entire jar on 2 pounds of whole wheat pasta.

 

My kids love it and no matter how many jars I freeze I always run out. This year between the heat and the japanese beetles I'm not getting much basil so my kids will be sad this winter when they only see pesto once a month if that.

[WiseOwlKnits]

Here is my recipe. It's really good!!!

[missmoe]

Can I skip the cheese part of it? I have everything but the parm.

[justasque]

I sometimes make my own and sometimes buy it.

I use basil (or sometimes spinach), walnuts, olive oil, garlic, and parmesan or asiago cheese. I get quality cheese in a chunk, and grate it in the food processor.

I've made similar versions with cilantro, etc.

 

If you don't have cheese, you can make it without. Just either add grated cheese when serving, or skip it entirely. Sometimes I do it this way, because I can use less cheese (calories!) and taste it more. I've seen versions with broth rather than oil, also.

 

If you're doing it with pasta and chicken, consider adding some artichoke hearts, and/or tomatoes, and/or zukes to the dish (not to the pesto!).

Edited August 4, 2012 by askPauline

[Liz CA]

Take basil, add however much garlic you like, some pine nuts and olive oil.

Grind together in a food processor until you like the consistency. Yummy.

[JR the hs dad]

We use store-bought. Our favorite recipe is a decadent pizza (for us anyway!) where we put pesto on the dough and top with shrimp, capers or olives, and cheese.

[Kathryn]

Here's the recipe I use:

 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pesto/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=pesto&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

 

I don't always use pine nuts as they get pricey but in those cases I will add walnuts or slice almonds (whole almonds are a bit rough on my food processor). I also add 1 tsp garlic salt because I don't salt my noodles when I cook them. We just eat the pesto on noodles as a side dish. I freeze it in double batch recipe in 18 ounce glass peanut butter jars. I use an entire jar on 2 pounds of whole wheat pasta.

 

My kids love it and no matter how many jars I freeze I always run out. This year between the heat and the japanese beetles I'm not getting much basil so my kids will be sad this winter when they only see pesto once a month if that.

 

That's the recipe I use also, except I up the cheese to a cup. I also don't add parsley, which is listed as optional. The kids and I LOVE it. We usually eat it on pasta with chicken, warm for dinner and cold for leftovers with tomatoes diced into it.

[Parrothead]

This is my favorite: Roasted asparagus and almond pesto.

[whitestavern]

I make or buy, depending on my basil crop. We also use it as a sandwich spread...I'll take some crusty bread, cut it in half, toast it, spread w/pesto and then add whatever for toppings, tomatoes, fresh mozz, grilled or broiled eggplant or zucchini. It's also great on grilled salmon.