Junior Chef Challenge - Basil pesto
Make your own basil pesto!
Basil pesto is a tasty sauce you can add to many dishes including pasta, sandwiches, salads or it's also great as a dip for crackers and fresh vegetables!
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup pine nuts (can sub chopped walnuts)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
Method
1. Pulse the basil and pine nuts. Place the basil leaves and pine nuts into the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times.
2. Add the garlic and cheese. Add the garlic and Parmesan or Romano cheese and pulse several times more. Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula.
3. Slowly pour in the olive oil. While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady small stream. Adding the olive oil slowly while the processor is running will help it emulsify and help keep the olive oil from separating. Occasionally, stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor.
4. Season the pesto sauce. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
