Homemade Pesto Sauce

If you have never made pesto before, don't fear! It's easier than you think! As long as you follow directions, you will be fine. The first time we made homemade pesto, we doubled up on the basil because we had so much of it growing in our garden. Big mistake! It tasted like we were eating an actual tree - not good! This recipe is Ina Garten's except that we toast the pine nuts and walnuts before putting them in the food processor and she doesn't. We think it tastes better when you toast them because it brings out the natural oils of the nuts, which turns up the flavor.

This recipe will make enough pesto to use over and over again. It can be stored in the refrigerator for about a month. We like to toss it with whole-wheat pasta and some Parmesan cheese when we don't have a lot of time to cook. On the weekends, we enjoy mixing the pesto with a little bit of mayo and spreading it on our croissant sandwiches. We tasted pesto mayo in Hawaii for the first time and were hooked!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pine nuts
9 cloves of garlic (chopped)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 1/2 cups of olive oil
1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Kitchen Essentials:

Pan
Spatula
Food processor
Knife
Cutting board
Measuring cups and spoons

Prep:
Clean and dry the basil leaves.

Directions:
Toast the walnuts and pine nuts in a dry pan over low heat, stirring frequently, for about 5-8 until they are golden brown. Your nose will let you know when they are done! Place the nuts into a food processor. Coarsely chop the garlic and place into the food processor as well. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute.