YS :: Recipes :: Freeze It: Basil Pesto

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Yield: Select
Prep time: Under 15 Minutes
Cook Time: Under 15 Minutes
Course: Select

Ingredients:
Instructions:

	ingredients
	1 cup walnuts or pine nuts Coarse salt and ground pepper 8 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves (4 ounces) 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

 

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spread nuts evenly on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until golden and fragrant, tossing once, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
2. Meanwhile, bring 4 cups salted water to a boil; add basil, and submerge with a spoon. Immediately drain in a colander. Rinse with cold water until cool, then pat basil completely dry in paper towels.
3. In a food processor, combine nuts, basil, and garlic; season generously with salt and pepper. Process until nuts are finely chopped. With machine running, pour oil in a steady stream through the feed tube; process until smooth. Use immediately, or freeze. To freeze, spoon pesto into an ice-cube tray (2 tablespoons per cube); cover with plastic wrap. Freeze overnight, then transfer cubes to a resealable plastic bag; keep up to 6 months. Defrost pesto at room temperature, about 20 minutes (or at 30-second intervals in the microwave). Mash with a fork before using in recipes.

Note: Pesto is best known in pasta dishes, but there are many other ways to use this versatile sauce.

• spread on a roasted-vegetable sandwich
• stir into vegetable soup
• thin with water and vinegar for a salad dressing
• mix with mayonnaise to make a dip for vegetables
• stir into mashed potatoes