No pasta sauce captures the fresh tastes of summer quite like pesto. I never crave pesto in the cold months–bring on the hearty tomato sauce–but come summer, pesto is what I want.
Fresh basil is key, and so is good quality olive oil. Beyond that, pesto is surprisingly versatile in what ingredients you can use. If you can’t find pine nuts, walnuts make a good substitution. Asiago cheese is a stronger alternative to mild parmesan for a pesto with bite. Here are three of my favorite recipes, but use them as a starting point for your own pesto concoction.
Of course pesto is delicious tossed with hot pasta, but also try it as a sauce to bake on chicken and steak, stirred into tomato soup, or spread on a sandwich.
Basic Pesto
2 cloves garlic
3 cups packed fresh basil leaves
3 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
1. Put the garlic, basil, parmesan cheese and olive oil in a food processor or blender. Process until ingredients are blended together, but still chunky.
2. Add the pine nuts. Process just until the nuts are in small pieces.
Chili Pesto
2 cloves garlic
3 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup olive oil
1/3 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup walnuts or brazil nuts
1. Put the garlic, basil, parmesan cheese, olive oil and chili powder in a food processor or blender. Process until ingredients are blended together, but still chunky.
2. Add the pine nuts and walnuts or brazil nuts. Process just until the nuts are in small pieces.
Sun-dried tomato pesto
6 ounces sun-dried tomatoes (without oil)
3 cups boiling water
2 Tablespoons pine nuts
2 cloves garlic
2/3 cup fresh packed basil leaves
2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley
3 Tablespoons dry white wine
1. Combine the tomatoes and boiling water. Let stand one hour until softened. Drain tomatoes, reserving 1/2 cup liquid.
2. Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until everything is minced. Add reserved 1/2 cup tomato liquid and wine. Process until well blended.