Presto Pesto
Presto Pesto
Adapted from my cookbook, Mistress Ginger Cooks!
Yields 1 cup
Pesto is comfort food with class. For a good time, toss it with pasta, spread it on toast to make bruschetta, use it on pizza as an alternative to marinara, or drizzle it over grilled vegetables. This gorgeous green sauce is a cinch to prepare but looks so fancy. You can easily impress a new lover with this one. Ta-dah! Now kiss me, and let’s get this party started.
2 cups stemmed fresh basil, firmly packed
½ cup walnuts (or pine nuts)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed
½ teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Combine the basil, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and thyme in a food processor. Pulse until just mixed and still chunky. Stop as needed to scrape down the work bowl with a rubber spatula.
Process the mixture while adding the oil in a steady stream. Stop processing as needed to scrape down the work bowl. Continue processing until completely mixed but still a little chunky. Pesto should be mostly smooth with just the right amount of stubbly texture, like my men.
Season with additional lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. The flavor of the pesto by itself should be very bold, also like my men. Wow, I never realized how much my men and my pesto have in common. That must explain why I can’t get enough of either.
Per 2 tablespoons: 129 calories, 1 g protein, 14 g fat (2 g sat), 1 g carbohydrates, 143 mg sodium, 16 mg calcium, 1 g fiber
