If you like pesto, I have a great recipe for fresh pesto that can be used on toasted crusty bread to make bruschetta or even on pasta to make a delicious and easy meal. It also freezes extremely well. Buying a basil plant is a cheaper alternative to buying packaged basil. The plant will yield many cups of basil over time and it is quite easy to grow indoors or out. Just make sure it gets plenty of water if you keep it outdoors in the heat. And I personally find it very satisfying to pick it fresh myself!
Fresh Pesto
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
4 cups fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic, and oil and pulse until it forms a paste. Add the cheese and salt and pepper, to taste, and pulse until smooth.
Recipe adapted from Gabriele Corcos and Debi Mazar
To make pesto pasta, cook pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain and reserve some of the pasta water. Top with pesto. Use the reserved water to thin out the pesto until a sauce forms.
To make our family's bruschetta, slice a baguette into one-inch slices. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 400 until lightly toasted. You can flip the bread over halfway through to make sure both sides brown. Remove from the oven and spread with pesto. Top with fresh chopped tomatoes and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan. Put back in the oven until the cheese melts. Serve hot.
I know my family really enjoys both the pasta and bruschetta made with this pesto. I hope yours will too!
-Michele
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