Pesto

It seems that some of you are buying pesto at the grocery store. That is a bunch of crap, and I don't want to see anymore of it. With my help, and the tiniest amount of effort on your part, we can stop this packaged pesto hold that Classico and those other pasta sauce losers have over America. Maybe I'm being a little harsh, but when you make this yourself you will see that it's necessary. Also, it's 1:30 in the morning, and I feel like the world should exist in extremes. Therefore, I am extremely excited about homemade pesto, and I am determined to thwart the plans of more pedestrian pestos. ( I think the sleepier I am the more I am amused by alliteration, but this is not an alliteration blog. It is a food blog. But I digest.) ( Okay I realize that was a bad pun, but I could not help it. Now I really have digressed.)

It begins here. What is all the crap in the picture you may ask? Pesto, my friend. This is pesto. You can of course click on the picture to enlarge if you'd like to check it out up close. We have parmigiano reggiano cheese, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic, and...BASIL (!!). That's it. Don't you feel lazy for buying the packaged store bought kind. Well, I shall continue to guilt trip you until I'm sure you understand.




Speaking of basil. Look at what I got.

I know I've been extolling the joys of K&S World Market since I started this blog, but this time it's actually important. This basil was excellent, and it was super fresh all the way through. The crazy thing though is the price tag. You know those little packages at Krogers? This could fill at least 6 of those. Those things cost 2 bucks a piece, or $12 altogether. This basil however was $2.37 for the whole huge package! This was a steal. Anyway, so now that you know what's in Pesto, and where to get the stuff ( If you aren't familiar with Pine Nuts look for them around other Mediterranean ingredients in the grocery.) we shall proceed with how to make it.


Get a food processor. If you don't have one, then steal one. Just don't steal my food processor. Put in 2 cups of loosely packed basil leaves, 4 garlic cloves, 1/3 cup of pine nuts, and 3/4 cup of grated parmigiano reggiano. Turn on the food processor. Add 2/3 cup of olive oil while processing. You want it to be saucy, but have some substance, i.e. if you put some on a spoon and turn the spoon upside down it shouldn't all drip off. Rather if you were to hold it that way for a minute or so it would slide off.


Put it in a jar or Tupperware. It will stay good (I think.) for up to weeks.



Of course it's best to just go ahead and throw it on some al dente pasta right then and get to eatin'.

Well, there you go. You have the tools. Go forth and make pesto!

-William

P.S. If you want to get crazy throw a handle full of sun dried tomatoes in with the mix. Add a bit more olive oil to compensate.