A great flavor enhancer…. Use it as a sandwich spread, pasta sauce, on a pizza base or a marinade, it’s a truly versatile condiment of Italian cuisine!
Method:
Grind 4 cups basil leaves, with 1/2 cup Pine nuts, 4-5 cloves of garlic and about 1/2 cup olive oil till smooth.
Transfer to an air tight jar. Top with a light drizzle of olive oil and store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze it for a couple of months.
I like to add salt to small quantities as & when I use, this prevents discoloration of pesto. Also you can add a little grated Parmesan to the pesto, at the time of using it though I prefer it without cheese!
PS: You can also substitute pine-nuts with walnuts to make basil walnut-pesto.