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I want the best pesto recipe you've got

post #1 of 46
1/23/09 at 4:14pm
Thread Starter 
My gf is in the mood for just some basic pesto dish. I'm gonna make some fresh spinach fettucine tonight, and probably have with with a pesto sauce and some chicken. So far, I'm leaning toward a basil pesto, with roasted pine nuts, garlic, kalamata olives, some spinach, and a bit of lemon juice. Give me your best recipe.
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post #2 of 46
1/23/09 at 4:29pm
That sounds too complicated, what's the point of the spinach? I'd also think the olives would overpowere the basil?
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post #3 of 46
1/23/09 at 4:32pm
I recently made pesto with watercress and almonds instead of basil and pine nuts, and was happy with the result. Sorry, no actual recipe, but I basically put those two ingredients, olive oil, parmesan, salt, and pepper in the blender and tinkered with the proportions until I was happy with the taste.

Then again, it might have been walnuts -- although I think it was almonds.
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post #4 of 46
1/23/09 at 4:35pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by hamish5178 View Post
That sounds too complicated, what's the point of the spinach? I'd also think the olives would overpowere the basil?

I think the spinach would add a different dimension of flavor to the pesto. As for the olives, I'm not adding a whole lot of them, probably just a handful.
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post #5 of 46
1/23/09 at 4:37pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by lawyerdad View Post
I recently made pesto with watercress and almonds instead of basil and pine nuts, and was happy with the result. Sorry, no actual recipe, but I basically put those two ingredients, olive oil, parmesan, salt, and pepper in the blender and tinkered with the proportions until I was happy with the taste.

Then again, it might have been walnuts -- although I think it was almonds.

Hmmm...I might try some different nuts for my recipe.
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post #6 of 46
1/23/09 at 4:55pm
I've used walnuts with good effect.

I use tons of garlic...I like the bite of strong raw garlic flavor, but it's not for everyone!

Last year I made a cilantro pesto with lots of fresh green chili pepper (I think I used de-seeded jalapenos). OMG good...it was especially good on sandwiches. It was even better on sandwiches eaten on Sierra Nevada summits, before skiing back down the mountain!
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post #7 of 46
1/23/09 at 5:50pm
I have not tried this recipe, but it looks f'in heavenly.

http://rouxbe.com/recipes/118/preview

Definitely check out the video too.

I am going to start making my own pesto at some point, I am going through a bottle of Trader Joe's pesto in about 2 meals. Let us know how it turns out. Good luck!
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post #8 of 46
1/23/09 at 10:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by feynmix View Post
I have not tried this recipe, but it looks f'in heavenly.

http://rouxbe.com/recipes/118/preview

Definitely check out the video too.

I am going to start making my own pesto at some point, I am going through a bottle of Trader Joe's pesto in about 2 meals. Let us know how it turns out. Good luck!

This looks like a good recipe. I'm Italian and used to work in an Italian specialty foods shop where we made pesto. I think pesto's best with a simple recipe. There's no need to add spinach or any other leafy plant to "add another dimension to the flavor". If you like, you can add cut up sun dried tomatoes to a basic pesto for something different. Also, if you plan on freezing some leftover sauce to save for next time, leave out the cheese and add it later as cheese does not freeze well, especially when in an olive oil-based sauce.
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post #9 of 46
1/23/09 at 10:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bassmanpatsfan18 View Post
This looks like a good recipe. I'm Italian and used to work in an Italian specialty foods shop where we made pesto. I think pesto's best with a simple recipe. There's no need to add spinach or any other leafy plant to "add another dimension to the flavor". If you like, you can add cut up sun dried tomatoes to a basic pesto for something different. Also, if you plan on freezing some leftover sauce to save for next time, leave out the cheese and add it later as cheese does not freeze well, especially when in an olive oil-based sauce.

Do you use home-grown basil or from the grocery store?
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post #10 of 46
1/23/09 at 10:36pm
I use a mortar and pestle; it's really the most important thing as a food processor just whips it up too much and creates too much heat. Heat is the enemy of good pesto. I eyeball all the quantities.

Fresh basil, pine nuts (toasted), garlic (I use 2 cloves), and salt. Then extra virgin olive oil, then Parmagiano Reggiano. Add the oil slowly after you've worked the other ingredients for a while, then work in the cheese.
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post #11 of 46
1/24/09 at 12:29am
Thread Starter 
So, I made fresh spinach pasta tonight, with pesto and chicken. The pesto was made with toasted sunflower seeds (I refused to pay $16/lb for pine nuts), basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, EVOO, S&P, and finished with lime juice. I seared the chicken breasts, then finished in the oven. Everything came out great. Had a garden salad to start, then chicken and pesto for main course, then cheesecake from the local bakery for dessert. Everything went down with a nice red from Rosso & Bianco.
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post #12 of 46
1/24/09 at 1:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by feynmix View Post
Do you use home-grown basil or from the grocery store?

Farm grown, actually. Not from the grocery store.
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post #13 of 46
1/24/09 at 1:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkNWorn View Post
So, I made fresh spinach pasta tonight, with pesto and chicken. The pesto was made with toasted sunflower seeds (I refused to pay $16/lb for pine nuts), basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, EVOO, S&P, and finished with lime juice. I seared the chicken breasts, then finished in the oven. Everything came out great. Had a garden salad to start, then chicken and pesto for main course, then cheesecake from the local bakery for dessert.

Everything went down with a nice red from Rosso & Bianco.

I certainly hope your GF believes in reciprocation.
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post #14 of 46
1/24/09 at 2:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by greekonomist View Post
I use a mortar and pestle; it's really the most important thing as a food processor just whips it up too much and creates too much heat. Heat is the enemy of good pesto. I eyeball all the quantities.

Fresh basil, pine nuts (toasted), garlic (I use 2 cloves), and salt. Then extra virgin olive oil, then Parmagiano Reggiano. Add the oil slowly after you've worked the other ingredients for a while, then work in the cheese.

Agreed. I wanted to make some really good pesto and started googling it (what would we do without google?). Found this article... changed the way I do pesto. Short answer is chop it all by hand, it makes a huge difference. you can actually taste each ingredient.

Nice article http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001570.html
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post #15 of 46
1/24/09 at 12:33pm
I should add that it's very important to taste as you go. I also sometimes substitute or mix in pecorino romano for the cheese and walnuts or almonds for the pine nuts. As for the method of preparation in the mortar, you need to start with coarse salt and garlic, as the salt helps grind up the garlic. Then move on to the nuts, then the basil leaves.
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