PESTO IS THE BESTO

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Pesto is the Best-o!

Pesto. PESTO. PESTO PESTO! Pesto is one of my favorite snacks, dressings, dips, sauces etc. It is incredibly versatile and there are countless ways to make the glorious combination of herb, cheese, nut, oil, and citrus.  This is a bit of a long post, however it is VERY simple so don’t get psyched out! Below are the three different pesto’s I make for three different types of noming.

PESTO THREE WAYS:

  1. Traditional Basil & Parmesan

  2. Spicy Honey Spinach Pesto

  3. Baby Kale & Ricotta

TRADITIONAL BASIL & PARMESAN

What you will need:

  1. 3-5 cups of basil leaves (from local farmer see here)

  2. 1 cup of parsley (or other herb)

  3. 3 garlic cloves (I make mine extra garlicky (Greek Blood) so I add 4)

  4. 1 cup almonds and walnut mixture

  5. 2 cups of grated parmesan-regiano cheese (see here)

  6. ½ to 1 cup of olive oil (I add extra because, once again, Greek Blood)

  7. 1 lemon zested

  8. Teaspoon of lemon juice

  9. Salt and pepper to taste

How to do it:

  1. Combine EVOO, Basil & Parsley Leaves, Nuts, Parmesan-Reggiano into your preferred blender (See mine here) or with your handy dandy mortal & pestal (See mine here)

  2. Add remaining ingredients and blend until desired consistency

  3. I make extra so I can save some in a container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days and use it on farro salads, sandwiches etc.

  4. Drizzle, drip, or drink your homemade pesto!!

SPICY HONEY SPINACH PESTO

What you will need:

  1. 3-5 cups of spinach leaves (from local farmer see here)

  2. 1 cup of basil (or other herb)

  3. 3 garlic cloves

  4. 2 cups of grated parmesan-reggiano cheese (see here)

  5. 1 cup almond and pistachio combination

  6. 1 cup of olive oil (I add extra because, once again, Greek Blood)

  7. 1 lemon zested

  8. 1 tablespoon of Spicy Honey (see here), or regular honey

    1. If using regular honey, sprinkle some red pepper flakes into the mix to add that touch of SPICE

      9. Salt and pepper to taste

How to do it:

  1. Combine EVOO, Spinach & Basil Leaves, Parmesan-Reggiano,  Nuts into your preferred blender (See mine here)

  2. Add remaining ingredients and blend until desired consistency

  3. I prefer to use this as a drizzle on a homemade pizza (recipe coming soon!) or as a salad dressing (with a bit more EVOO to make a good dressing consistency)

  4. Drizzle, drip, or drink your homemade pesto!

BABY KALE & RICOTTA

What you will need:

  1. 2 cups of baby kale leaves

  2. 1 cup basil

  3. ½ cup EVOO

  4. ½ cup pine nuts or almonds

  5. 3 cloves garlic

  6. ½ cup grated parmesan-reggiano

  7. ½ cup ricotta cheese

  8. Salt and pepper to taste

  9.  

How to do it:

  1. Combine baby kale, basil, salt and pulse until finely chopped

    1. Scrape down the sides if necessary

  2. With motor on low drizzle EVOO

  3. Add garlic, pine nuts and pulse again

  4. FINALLY, add the cheeses and pulse it out until you have the consistency youre looking for

  5. I prefer to use this pesto when i’m hosting an event as a dip with homemade crustinis, or spread across freshly baked bread. SUPER YUMMY SNACK!

NOM-ING TIME!

Pesto is the Best-o

The benefits of greens, EVOO, garlic and nuts are extraordinary.  I hope you enjoyed making and devouring these delicious spreads as much as I have! Have a different variation for your homemade pesto? I’d love to hear about your favorite pesto, email me and let’s chat foodie!

 

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