It’s been so hot this summer, it’s almost hard to breathe. But all the sweating and suffering is worth the wait.
That’s because I grow basil which loves sunshine and hot weather. This year’s bumper crop yielded a record 51 containers of pesto, a rich sauce consisting of basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, oil, and Parmesan cheese, all crushed together. Pesto is the shortened name for pestato, which is Italian for to pound or crush.
I can’t imagine those little old Italian women slaving over their mortars and pestels, grinding enough basil for the giant batch I made with my friend, Ann Dekorsi, at our 10th annual Pesto Party on Friday night. It took both of us about three and a half hours, even with my trusty Cuisinart.
She buys the ingredients in bulk at Costco and we bring our own plastic containers, saved from year to year. This year, each container, about one cup, cost us $3.50. Supermarkets sell it for twice that much.
If you make it in bulk like we do, hose off the basil in the yard, then bring it indoors. Use a salad spinner to dry it. Buy your cheeses whole, if possible, and grate them yourself to save money. Use good-quality ingredients.
And remember your stash during the holidays. A loaf of French bread, a container or two of pesto and a jar of sun-dried tomatoes, packed in a pretty basket, make a fabulous gift for foodies.
Enjoy It Many Different Ways
Ann’s husband, Pete, eats pesto on his turkey sandwiches almost every day. Ann likes it spread on French bread and topped with sliced Roma tomatoes. I love it mixed with whole wheat pasta and cherry tomatoes—my favorite summer recipe. It’s also delicious used as a substitute for tomato sauce on homemade pizza.
If you aren’t growing your own basil, you can find it at the farmer’s markets. You’ll need about 2 cups for our recipe which calls for walnuts instead of the more expensive pine nuts.
If you’re new to pesto, don’t freak out when the rich green color starts to go dark after it’s been sitting awhile. It doesn’t affect the flavor.
Also, if you freeze it, like we do, and you pull a container from the freezer and can’t wait for it to defrost, pop it into the microwave for only 15 seconds. Remove it, break up the clumps, stir, and put it back into the microwave for another 15 seconds. Cook it for too long and you’ll end up with a gooey mess.
We experiment with different amounts of oil and have found the recipe below to be the best for pesto if you’re spreading it on sandwiches or using it for pizza. Use a full cup of oil if using it as a sauce for pasta. We make some of both and mark the containers.
If you don’t have a food processor, you can make it in a blender, but it doesn’t seem to blend as easily.
Joan and Ann’s Pesto
2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
4 large cloves of garlic
1 cup walnuts
Slightly less than 1 cup good-quality olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (do NOT use the stuff in the green can)
1/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
Process the basil, garlic and walnuts in a food processor fitted with a steel blade until finely chopped.
Turn off machine and scrape down the bowl with a spatula.
With the machine running, pour in the oil in a thin, steady stream.
Add the cheeses, a big pinch of salt, and a liberal grinding of pepper. Process about 20 seconds to combine. Use as is or freeze in plastic containers.
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So do you think you’ll make this yourself? If you’ve already tried pesto, what’s your favorite way to eat it? (Admit it if you eat it right out of the blender bowl. I do!)
Want publicity for your Pesto Party or other homemade goodies? How about hosting a pesto-making contest at your company, inviting customers and clients to serve as judges, and then let the local TV and newspapers know?
Food editors LOVE stories about your harvest. See Publicity Tips for Restaurants, Chefs & Foodies.
I love pesto, but unfortunately, my husband Scott does not. So, more for me!
You mean FORTUNATELY he does not like pesto.
Thank you Joan!
Can’t wait to ry this recipe. I have a basil plant that occassionally gets out of control – this would be a perfect excuse for trimming it down 🙂
When you cut the basil, don’t hack all of it off. I left about an inch and a half on each stem, so it has room to grow back.
If the weather stays hot, we might be making a second batch later this summer.
My basil is already spent due to the drought in Texas but I do adore it in pesto and everything else also. Tastes great as a dipping sauce for a crusty loaf and also on pasta or sauteed chicken. Your recipe looks similar to mine. Yours was such a fresh green color. Yum.
Actually, the photo I used in the upper left corner of the post is a stock photo. But mine looks that good, too.
I have a ton of basil in the garden, will try this recipe. I have only made it with pine nuts in the past but walnuts sound interesting. I also have a lot of arugula and am considering trying an arugula pesto … Thanks for the recipe and the ideas for great ways to use it.
I’ve had arugula and don’t care for it. But lots of other people do. Let us know how it turns out.
I love basil and grow several varieties with different flavors. Try using different varieties, pine nuts, and some home made hot sauce if you like to spice things up a bit.
Here’s a shot of my Sweet Basil from last fall:
Joan,
I love pesto instead of pizza sauce. My favorite is with asparagus (whole spears), artichoke hearts and spinach. I use a white sauce or pesto for the base, the veggies, then some cheese over top. I have even put lemon wedges on it and baked them along with the pizza then squeezed them on each piece. Delicious!
I also like cilantro pesto – great for putting over pasta for a Mexican flair!
Wish I could go to the party and holding a contest is a great way to get publicity! I’ve seen national TV shows hold contests for the best hot dog, who could save the most with coupons, etc. You could pitch this story to local or national news.
Blog On!
Janet
Your veggie pizza with lemon sounds so good I can practically taste it. What kind of cheese do you use?
I’ve got an even healthier recipe… minimizing that rich oil. Stuff a blender with raw spinach and 2 cups of plain yogurt. Add 1/4 c. pine nuts, a lot of basil, 1/2 c. parmesan, 3 cloves raw garlic (more if you dare) and a pinch of dried red pepper.
This, poured over pasta and chicken breast perhaps, makes a decent dinner with lots of good things in it and oil-free!
Sonia, one of the questions my friend and I debate every time we make pesto is “how much oil do we want this time?” I hate it when the oil separates and it runs off the sandwich down my arm. I also dislike gritty pesto that suffers from too little oil. Your idea sounds like a good one. I’ll try it!
Now that we have a Costco membership, I’m encouraged to try your recipe. This summer I took my granddaughter to Victoria, BC, and we had a delicious PESTO PIZZA at the fabulous TAPA. It had thin slices of Granny Smith Apples, several types of cheeses, and was served with one-half of a lime! I could send the photo from my iPhone if you want to see it — 301.785.7619.
Thanks, Elizabeth
Yes, email me the photo. Elizabeth. I’d love to see it. I just learned this morning from my sister, a horticulture researcher, that there’s a nasty disease infecting basil plants throughout the U.S. She said we can expect to see pesto prices skyrocket in the grocery store. So if you have any basil on hand, make it now!
Pesto over angel hair pasta with fresh, ripe tomatoes … and a couple of extra walnuts on top. Thanks for the great suggestion. Was just thinking this morning about Christmas and what can I make now to give then.
Thanks for your idea, Sue. I love making exactly what you described, with a small dash of red pepper flakes. Also, toast the walnuts.
You can also make a pizza to die for with pesto, walnuts, tomatoes, and feta over a thin crust. Best crop of basil ever, can’t wait to make some. I was craving it last night after reading this. Sure will keep the werewolves away too! (garlic)
I’ve never tried feta on pizza but it sounds great. Thanks for stopping by, Sue.