just made home made pesto :YUM:

[Stevebass4]

stopped by the kitchen store on my way home and picked up a mortar and pestle cause i just wanted it

and i LOVE pesto but never made it at home so i found this receipe - this is great!!

Add a half dozen small basil leaves with stems and spines removed to the mortar with 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt. Mash with the pestle in a steady rhythm and continue to add more leaves (you’ll need 60 small or 30 large leaves in all). Halfway through, add 2 cloves of peeled garlic with the green hearts removed. When the garlic is almost incorporated, add 3 tablespoons of pine nuts. When the pine nuts are mashed, stir in 2 tablespoons each of grated Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano, then a quarter cup of olive oil.

 

[Rishi]

Can't we just blend it all together in a blender?

 

[Brooke789]

Yep. It is really easy in a blender/food processor!

 

[Stevebass4]

as brooke said - yup however some say that a motar extracts the oils of the pesto better

 

[amszyh]

Now you can make

Aunt Janie's Pesto Torta
​

¾ cup minced dried tomatoes in olive oil
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup soft unsalted butter
1 pound cream cheese (may use low-fat)
½ cup sour cream (may use low-fat)
¾ cup prepared pesto
Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Spritz a 6-cup mold or two or three smaller molds with cooking spray. Line the entire inner surface with plastic wrap and spray again. Layer the mined tomatoes on the bottom.

Place the Parmesan cheese, butter, cream cheese and sour cream in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and process until thoroughly blended, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and pulse again.

Spoon half the cheese mixture into the mold over the tomatoes. Spread half the pesto atop the cheese, then spoon the remaining cheese mixture into the mold. Top with the remaining pesto. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

To unmold, remove the plastic wrap from the top, turn the mold upside down onto a serving plate, then carefully pull the mold away and remove the wrap. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Serve with bread or crackers.

Makes 40 hors d’oeuvre servings


YUM!!! I eat way too much of this when I make it.

 

[Jodi*]

I make a chicken pesto, I use cavatoppi noodles with mushorooms <fresh>, onion, a little bit of alfredo sauce to thicken it, and pesto <store bought>, and of course chicken. Its very yummy and I figured out how to make it from work.

 

[KMA]

Too much effort..I make pesto in the food processor.

 

[amszyh]

Too much effort..I make pesto in the food processor.

Too much effort...I get mine in the jar.

 

[val738]

I like it in the jar too (I never knew a recipe for it I guess...) Anyways, but its SOOO expensive!!!! Hey wait! I'll use my $10 Catalinas from Jewel!!! LOL

 

[deedeezee]

I get mine from the refrigerated pasta area, I think it is made by Bertolli or someone like that. Their reduced fat version is also very good. I love it in with pasta, chicken, oven dried (or sun dried) tomato and sauteed mushroom. Yum!

 

[megsy]

as brooke said - yup however some say that a motar extracts the oils of the pesto better

We put our leaves in a ziploc then bruise them by rolling the bag with a rolling pin. Then add to food processor.

 

[Tazznum1]

Don't think I ever had pesto.

 

[megsy]

Tazz, it's quite yummy. We make ours to use as the "sauce" on homemade pizza instead of a red sauce.

Parsley pesto is delicious as well.