Chef Chuck's Basil Pesto

Pesto di Basilico


Homemade Genovese basil pesto with fresh picked basil, and homegrown garlic, has the ultimate flavors. Pesto is great for pasta's, spreads or in soups. Freeze pesto in ice cube trays then store in plastic bags, use 1 or 2 cubes when making soups or stews. The authentic way of making pesto is with the mortar and pestle.


Basil Pesto
2 cups fresh basil
3/4 cups parmigiana, grated
1/2 cup pine nuts
2-3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
salt and pepper
1/2 cup olive oil


Put all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor slowly drizzle in olive oil till all ingredients are combined. Store in refrigerator, will cover 1 pound of pasta.

10 comments:

  1. Love the shot with the mortar and pestle. Do you ever have trouble with it turning brownish when it hits the hot pasta? How to remedy that?

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  2. Hi Ciao Chow Linda, That has not happened to me. Could be storage, put olive oil on top and it must be air tight. It's best to use pesto right away.

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  3. Yum! I can't get enough basil or pesto!

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  4. Hello LaDue, I am with you on that! Thank You :)

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  5. Lovely, I adore pesto. I put it on everything, I even add it to salad dressing, smear it with ricotta cheese as a pasta dressing, or slather it on bruschetta...

    A tip for Ciao Chow Linda: when whirring pesto in the food processor, use short bursts, as the heated metal blades tend to "cook" the basil, turining it tawny. Quick bursts and lots of olive oil keep the color bright green.

    Ciao, Lola xx

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  6. that pesto was great so was the bracole thank you chef chuck

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  7. Ciao Lola, Hope all is well. You make this pesto sound so good! Plus, you are the very smart one with a tip, the blades are cooking those tender basil leaves. I will relay the message.
    Grazie, Take Care :)

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  8. Hello geniusrusso, Glad you enjoyed, you are very welcome! Thank You.

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