Reply #7: pesto [View All]

[lazarus]

is basically pine nuts, fresh basil, garlic, and olive oil. Yummie. Don't buy it premade, it's easy to make. Here's how I do it, stolen from Mario Batali:

3 tablespoons pine nuts
2 cups fresh basil leaves, preferably "picolo fino"
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 pinch sea salt (or kosher salt. Please tell me you don't have table salt in your home. Ick.)
5 ounces Ligurian extra-virgin olive oil (I just use really good evoo)


In my molca jete (big stone mortar), grind the pine nuts, basil, garlic, and salt with a pestle until it forms a paste. Drizzle in the olive oil, beating the mixture with a wooden spoon.

You can use a food processor if you don't have a big stone mortar and pestle, but they're so much fun!

It's very very good.