No Basil Pesto Recipes

HOW TO MAKE PESTO LIKE AN ITALIAN GRANDMOTHER

Steps:

• 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" - see the photo up above. Transfer the pesto "cake" to a small bowl (not much bigger than the cake).
• Cover the pesto "cake" with a bit of olive oil. It doesn't take much, just a few tablespoons. At this point, you can set the pesto 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. Francesca's mom occasionally thins the pesto with a splash of pasta water for more coverage, but for our gnocchi this wasn't necessary.

BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Combine basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and olive oil in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add garlic, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Pulse until mixture becomes smooth and blended.
• Pour mixture onto a large sheet of plastic wrap; roll into a tube shape and seal. Store in the refrigerator until needed.

THE BEST BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Peel and bash the garlic in a pestle and mortar with a pinch of sea salt.
• Pick the basil leaves and add with the pine nuts, and pound to a coarse paste.
• Muddle in the extra virgin olive oil and finely grate and stir in the Parmesan, adding a splash of water if you like it a little runnier, then continue bashing and pounding until smooth.
• Have a taste and season with salt and black pepper, if needed. For a lovely creamy finish, try crumbling in and stirring through a cooked Jersey Royal. Serve with grilled meat or fish, or simply stirred through pasta - delicious!

NO BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Heat peanut oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add spinach, arugula, and radish greens to garlic; cook and stir until greens are completely cooked and wilted, working in batches if needed, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain any excess water from greens.
• Blend greens mixture in a food processor until pureed into 1 1/2 to 2 cups.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir 1/2 cup pureed greens until warmed, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir flour into pureed greens in the saucepan; slow pour in 1/2 of the broth while whisking until smooth. Bring pureed greens-broth mixture to a boil and cook until heated through, adding more broth if it looks too dry, about 3 minutes.
• Stir milk, remaining broth, and remaining pureed greens into greens-broth mixture and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

THE BEST BASIL PESTO RECIPE

Steps:

• Chill the blender bowl either in the freezer or by adding water and ice cubes until ready to blend. Meanwhile, rinse, then soak, the basil leaves in water for about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Combine the nuts, garlic, and olive oil in the blender. Blend until the nuts are very finely chopped and the mixture is creamy. Add the salt.
• In several handfuls, lift the basil from the bowl of water. Shake some of the excess water off, but not all, and add it to the blender. Pulse in the blender until it is a smooth, beautiful green color. If necessary, add more water a teaspoon at a time until it blends and emulsifies fully.
• Add the cheeses and blend again until fully incorporated and serve.PRO TIP: To store pesto, place it in a container and cover the top with a thin layer of olive oil. This acts as a seal, preventing oxidization. This pesto can be frozen for up to 3 months. Do not heat to defrost; let it thaw at room temperature for about an hour or two, or overnight in the refrigerator.

NUT-FREE PESTO

Steps:

• Pulse the first 6 ingredients in a food processor until coarsely chopped. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream until mixture is smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

KALE PESTO RECIPE

Steps:

• Place the garlic in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and puree to chop the garlic.
• Add the kale and the parsley and pulse until the greens are finely chopped.
• Drizzle in the olive oil with the motor running.
• Season with salt and pepper, then pulse in the Parmesan cheese but do not puree or overprocess.

BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.
• If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.

NON-BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine the nuts and garlic and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add your greens of choice and the cheese and pulse until finely ground. With the processor running, add the oil. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer to a resealable container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
• In a food processor, combine the nuts and garlic and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add your greens of choice and the cheese and pulse until finely ground. With the processor running, add the oil. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer to a resealable container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.