With a bit of experimentation, I found a way to make pesto at home that is easy, healthier, and a *little* less expensive. Most pesto recipes I see call for pine nuts, so the first time I made pesto at home I splurged and bought some pine nuts at the grocery store. Umm.. the bag of pine nuts was TINY and super expensive. No thank you. When I tasted a pine nut, I realized it tasted a lot like a walnut- which I buy anyway to make workweek granola bars.
I also knew that I wanted to reduce the amount of oil in my pesto- using a ton of olive oil didn't seem like a good idea, especially because Matt & I typically eat an entire batch of pesto in one meal. Here is what I came up with: recipe after the break.
Ingredients:
leaves from one bunch basil
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
2 T chopped walnuts
2 T olive oil
2 T water
1 clove garlic
salt & pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in your food processor, and run until pesto is smooth. Add additional water a spoonful at a time if pesto is too thick for you. This recipe makes enough to sauce one box of pasta.
What is your favorite way to eat pesto?