Pesto Sauce

A community recipe by TimBris83

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

Introduction

This is my version of green pesto, I sometimes find that the garlic element in home made pesto can be rather harsh so I like to roast off my garlic cloves to give a lovely mellow garlic-y falavour. Also many people use parmesan cheese, but I tend to favour pecorino purely out of personal taste, but parmesan will work just as well. I find this sauce is best made in a good heavy pestle and mortar (granite for example), it can be very hard work otherwise. If this is a problem simply combine your ingredients in a food processor.

Ingredients

Serves: 4-6

Metric Cups

1 bunch fresh basil (a large bunch)
5 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons pinenuts
125 grams pecorino cheese
olive oil
salt (to season)

1 bunch fresh basil (a large bunch)
5 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons pinenuts
4 ounces pecorino cheese
olive oil
salt (to season)

Method

Pesto Sauce is a community recipe submitted by TimBris83 and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

Roast the garlic cloves skins on in a hot oven with a little olive oil until the garlic inside is soft and sticky. This usually takes about 10-15 minutes depending on the oven.

In a dry frying pan place the pine nuts and lightly toast over a medium heat, gently tossing them about. The toasting process happens fairly quickly so you must watch the pine nuts like a hawk to avoid burning them.

Squeeze in the roasted garlic flesh into a heavy weight pestle and mortar and grind to a paste. Then tear in the basil leaves and bash and grind until thoroughly broken down and an almost paste like consistency.

Pour a good glug of olive oil into the mixture and combine. Add the pecorino and bash into the mixture until thoroughly combined.

Add the pine nuts. Add more olive oil if you need to slacken the sauce.

Serve tossed through freshly cooked pasta. Note- If you are not keen on the idea of whole pine nuts, these can be bashed in just before the cheese is added.

Roast the garlic cloves skins on in a hot oven with a little olive oil until the garlic inside is soft and sticky. This usually takes about 10-15 minutes depending on the oven.

Pour a good glug of olive oil into the mixture and combine. Add the pecorino and bash into the mixture until thoroughly combined.

Add the pine nuts. Add more olive oil if you need to slacken the sauce.

Serve tossed through freshly cooked pasta. Note- If you are not keen on the idea of whole pine nuts, these can be bashed in just before the cheese is added.