Recipe Book/Europe/Italy/Classic Pasta Sauces

Pesto

Serves: 4

Cooking: no cook

Preparation: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

75g/3oz

fresh basil leaves

25g/1oz

pine nuts, coarsely chopped

3 cloves

garlic, peeled & coarsely chopped

125ml/4 floz

extra virgin olive oil

50g/2oz

Parmesan cheese, finely grated

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:
Place the basil, nuts, garlic and 1-2 tbsp of the olive oil in a blender and puree.

With the blender still running, add the oil at a drizzle until the sauce takes on the consistency of cream.

Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheese. Add pepper to taste.

Will keep in the refrigerator in a screwtop jar, (covered with a layer of olive oil to prevent going black), before adding the cheese.

Recommended pasta: Long pasta; ribbon pasta, gnocchi