Basil Pesto

Most Pesto's are done in a processor or like me my Magic Bullet. But low and behold after many internet search finally I found the recipe for Old School pesto done so well by Heidi at her 101 Cookbooks site. She has given me the inspiration to go to the next level with my site. But that is another post.  Now it is a bit more time consuming but the results are intense and the flavors are not all mushed together. It is Pesto Heaven

Heidi explains to us that pesto made here in America is machine made this creates a paste like pesto. Hand chopping your ingredients is the way to make real Italian Pesto. I am a hand to tool cook. I use less machine then most in their kitchen. 
 

1 large bunch of basil, leaves only, washed and dried
3 medium cloves of garlic
one small handful of raw pine nuts
roughly 3/4 cup Parmesan, loosely packed and FRESHLY GRATED
A few tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

Start chopping the garlic along with about 1/3 of the basil leaves. Once this is loosely chopped add more basil, chop some more, add the rest of the basil, chop some more. I scrape and chop, gather and chop.

At this point the basil and garlic should be a very fine mince.

Add about half the pine nuts, chop.

Add the rest of the pine nuts, chop.
Add half of the Parmesan, chop.
Add the rest of the Parmesan, and chop.

 

In the end you want a chop so fine that you can press all the ingredients into a basil "cake" 


Transfer the pesto "cake" to a small bowl (not much bigger than the cake). Cover with a bit of olive oil, it doesn't take much, just a few tablespoons.

You can set this aside or place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. Just before serving give the pesto a quick stir to incorporate some of the oil into the basil. She occasionally thins the pesto with a splash of pasta water for more coverage, but for our pasta this wasn't necessary.