I'm thrilled to be sharing my favorite pesto recipe with you! Having homemade pesto on hand is so convenient. Of course, you can schmear it on a piece of sourdough toast for a great snack, but I really love adding it to cooked pasta, vegetables, rice, or potatoes- taking them from "everyday" to "damn, that's good".
This recipe uses walnuts instead of pine nuts, which is just easier. (I do love pine nuts, but they can be hard to find in sufficient quantity.) I also use half baby spinach, half fresh basil- that way, you can make this pesto during the winter when basil is not in season, and you'll only have to buy a small amount at the store when it is harder to find. Yeah!
"This pesto is thick and nutty. If you like your pesto more like a sauce, do 1/4 cup warm water instead of 1 Tbsp., and run the processor for a full five minutes."
Notes: Olive oil is extra virgin.
SPINACH WALNUT PESTO
Ingredients: 2 cups baby spinach leaves, 2 cups basil leaves, scant 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, juice of 1/2 lemon, 2 minced cloves of garlic, 1/3 cup olive oil, 1 Tbsp. warm water, 1/3 cup walnuts
Makes about 2 cups
1. Place all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Run the processor for 3 minutes, occasionally stopping to scrape down the sides.
2. Store in an air-tight container for up to 1 week.
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