Authentic Italian Pesto needs no prelude. If you have pesto in your pantry I can assure you, you can do so many things with it. It makes fabulous pasta dishes, makes a delicious marinade for your meats, a lip smacking filling for the Bread and the list is endless. Last time I made a huge batch of pesto and it was devoured by my husband simply by smearing on bread. I saved (read hid) a little for the Chicken Pesto Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes . I shall soon be sharing its recipe.
The essential thing about the pesto is that each and every ingredient in this recipes plays a very crucial role. So please choose good quality ingredients which makes a huge difference in the taste. Other than this its not rocket science to make this salsa. Simply put the ingredients in blender and blitz.
Directions:
1. Remove the pine nuts from the shell and toast them on a pan on a medium low flame, till they become slightly golden in colour. Do not burn them. Set them aside to cool down.
2. In a chutney grinder add fresh basil leaves, thoroughly washed and separated from stems. Also add garlic cloves.
3. Add toasted pine nuts.
4. Add zest of a lemon and then cut it and squeeze in its juice.
5. Season with Salt and freshly ground Black pepper.
6. Add Extra Virgin Olive Oil and blend together into a creamy paste. If the blending gets difficult add more olive oil.
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7. Now add grated Parmesan Cheese to the pesto blend and combine.
8. Your pesto is ready to be used. You can transfer it to a glass jar to store in refrigerator and top it up a little Olive oil so that the moisture stays intact and it doesn’t come in contact with air. This will increase its shelf life.
You can make Chicken Pesto Pasta with this.You can also try Parsley Pistachio Pesto for a new variation.
Other Salsas and Chutney you can try on the Secret Ingredient are: Argentine Chimichurri Salsa, Sweet and Sour Raw Mango Chutney, Pudina Chutney, Greek Purslane Yogurt Dip, Raw Mango Chutney with Mint and Coriander.
[whohit]BasilPesto[/whohit]
- 2 cups Fresh Basil Leaves
- 3 Tbsp of Pine Nuts, toasted
- 2 Small Cloves of Garlic
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp Grated Lemon Zest
- 1 Tbsp of Lemon Juice
- ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ¼ cup of Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Remove the pine nuts from the shell and toast them on a pan on a medium low flame, till they become slightly golden in colour. Do not burn them. Set them aside to cool down.
- In a chutney grinder add fresh basil leaves, thoroughly washed and separated from stems. Also add garlic cloves.
- Add toasted pine nuts.
- Add zest of a lemon and then cut it and squeeze in its juice.
- Season with Salt and freshly ground Black pepper.
- Add Extra Virgin Olive Oil and blend together into a creamy paste. If the blending gets difficult add more olive oil.
- Now add grated Parmesan Cheese to the pesto blend and combine.
- Your pesto is ready to be used. You can transfer it to a glass jar to store in refrigerator and top it up a little Olive oil so that the moisture stays intact and it doesn’t come in contact with air. This will increase its shelf life.