Pesto is a great thing to make yourself for several reasons: 1) it tastes infinitely better, 2) it’s much cheaper than a store bought version, 3) it’s open to a lot of variation. And, if you’ve never made it before, I think you’ll be surprised at how simple it is to make.
If you’ve bought pesto in the grocery store before, it was most likely of the pine nut-basil variety and cost you a month’s rent to fill a cracker. I’ve tried a few different nuts in this pesto and find I like pecans the best, but feel free to use any nuts you have on hand and let me know what you think.
Traditionally, pesto is hand made. The word pesto in fact comes from the same Latin root word as pestle, “to pound”. I actually did make this batch using my mortar and pestle, but have made it before with a food processor. Both work great, but I wanted a bit more texture this time around.
Basil Pecan Pesto
Makes about 1 cup
3 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 small handful pecans (1/2 cup at most), toasted
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of fresh black pepper
1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (medium grate)
1/2 cup very high quality extra virgin olive oil
Lightly toast the pecans in a pan or in the oven to bring out the nuttiness. This will only take a couple minutes in a pan on medium heat. All you’re looking for is a bit of browning. As a general rule for toasting nuts and spices, once you can smell the aroma, they’re done!
Once you’ve toasted the pecans, add a splash of olive oil to the pan and add the garlic for about 30 seconds. This will help take some of the sharp, raw garlic taste out so it doesn’t overpower the pesto. Remove the garlic and set aside.
If you’re using a mortar and pestle, give the basil and pecans a rough chop before you pound together with the pestle. It’ll just make things easier. Pound together basil, garlic, pecans and S & P until you’ve got a nice paste. If you’re using a food processor, just pulse the ingredients a few times to keep a bit of texture. Next, add the cheese and lemon juice and mix to combine. Finally, pour in the oil in a slow steady stream while mixing the pesto.
Keep the pesto in an air tight container in the fridge for up to a week. But, it HAS TO BE AIR TIGHT or it will oxidize and become bitter. Pouring a layer of olive oil on top will help keeping the air out of the pesto. You can also freeze the pesto for a year or so.
Good eating!
