Ingredients

4 Cloves Garlic

1/4 - 1/2 tsp Salt (Optional)

3/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/4 cup Walnuts

1/2 cup Olive Oil

3 cups Fresh Basil

Preparation

Add garlic, cheese and nuts to a blender or food processor. Blend until sandy in texture. Add basil to the mix. While blending add the olive oil until the consistency you like is reached. Taste and add salt if needed.

Notes:

  1. You can sub in other nuts for the walnuts. Pine nuts are traditional, but I prefer the flavor and price of walnuts.
  2. You can use other hard cheeses for this as well (eg pecorino).
  3. You can sub in or add other herbs. Rosemary adds a nice complexity.
  4. This pesto freezes really well. When I make it, I’ll make 4-5 recipes and freeze it for later on.