Pesto Recipe
(Barefoot Contessa recipe)
makes 4 cups
Ingredients:
¼ cup walnuts
¼ cup pignolis (pine nuts)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
Directions:
Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 30 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Serve, or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.
I bought fresh Ohio City Pasta (egg linguine) from my local grocery store (Heinen’s). The pesto turned out really good. I used the olive oil I brought home from Tuscany in May from the Montefioralle vineyard. I’m not sure if the recipe made a full 4 cups. But, I have some left over and just put in in the fridge with the layer of olive oil on top. I’ll use the rest within the next 2-3 weeks. I would definitely make this recipe again!