Pesto is a delicious blend of herbs, oil, nuts, garlic, and cheese. It originated in Genoa, the capital city of Liguria, Italy. Before the days of modern kitchen appliances (e.g. the food processor), pesto was prepared by using a mortar and pestle. The word pesto comes from the Genoese verb “pestare”, which means to crush, to pound, to grind.
This is a simple recipe that can be used with pasta, grilled meats, roasted vegetables, eggs, and the list goes on.
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh basil
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 4 garlic cloves
- 4 teaspoons of lemon juice
- ⅔ cups parmesan cheese
- ⅔ cups olive oil
- ¼ cup pasta water or warm water (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Place all ingredients (except for the water) into a food processor and blend until combined.
- Slowly pour in the pasta water and blend until smooth. If you are not making pasta to serve with the pesto you may use warm water in place of the pasta water.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Use for pasta or anything else that you might like.
- Enjoy!
