It's that time of year again!

Pesto alla Genovese

Every summer my mom and I make our awesome homemade pesto.  For those of you who have tasted it before, I think you realize how magical it is.

Making pesto is always one of the best parts of the summer.  I spread it on ciabatta, toss it with pasta, dollop it on fresh mozzarella, or just eat it by the spoonful... mmm YUM!

This afternoon my mom and I began the process.  She went out in the backyard to cut a couple bushels of our home-grown basil.  We then washed the basil, grated the freshly imported Parmesan cheese, and crushed 4 cloves of garlic.  The aromas were already intoxicating...  From here, we blended these 3 ingredients with a couple pinches of salt, pine nuts, & extra virgin olive oil (preferably made in Italy).  

And whaaala! 

I swear that you will not be disappointed with this pesto.  In fact, it might just be the best think you've ever tasted.  I would love to hear your feedback!

Health Note on Pesto's Ingredients:
Basil is rich in rosmarinic and caffeic acid.  These compounds have strong antioxidant properties and may help protect cells from damage.  There are many varieties of basil differing in smell, shape, and color.  These include Thai, lemon, Large-leaf Italian sweet, tiny-leaf bush, and African blue.
Garlic is a close relative of the onion, shallot, and leek.  It contains many phytochemicals that protect your body from cholesterol build-up and cancer.  Many Egyptian slaves were fed garlic to keep their strength up.

Extra-virgin olive oil is high in monounsaturated fat, which research has shown helps protect against heart disease.  The monounsaturated fat reduces the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in your blood.

 

Here is the complete recipe:
Yield: 1 1/2-2 cups

2 cups fresh basil leaves, stripped from their stems.  Adding 1/2 cup of mint also adds a delicious flavor.

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1-2 tsps freshly chopped garlic

2 tbls finely chopped pine nuts and/or walnuts

1-1 1/2 cups of extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated imported sardo, romano, or Parmesan cheese.

To make the pesto, combine the coarsely chopped basil, salt, pepper, garlic, pine nuts, and 1 cup olive oil in a blender or food processor.  Blend these ingredients at a high speed until they look smooth.  Stop the blender/food processor every 6 seconds to push the herbs down with a rubber spatula.  The sauce should be thin enough to run easily down the spatula.  If it seems too thick, you may add extra olive oil.  From here, transfer the sauce to a large bowl and hand stir in the cheese.