An Italian favorite originating in Genoa, Italy; pesto is one of the most versatile - and tasty - pasta sauces you can make. While alot of chefs have developed a wide variety of pestos substituting different herbs for this dishes signature ingredient (basil), I prefer to keep this one in its classic form.
Ingredients (serves 4)
* 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
* 3 cups of fresh basil leaves, chopped
* 3/4 cup of pine nuts
* 1 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
* EVOO
* salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Start with 1 cup of EVOO and as your mix, you may need to add more to adjust the consistency of the sauce. You want it thick enough to be able to bind to the pasta, or spread onto a sandwich or crostini (but not too thick of course - you still want it to be a sauce and not chunky). Keep adding a bit more cheese or oil until you are happy with the taste and consistency.
For an extra touch - I like to add chicken OR shrimp, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes to make it a complete dish!
Bon Appétit
xo Chef Natty
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