Basic Pesto

Ah, good ol' pesto.  Like I said before, it's my go to condiment.  It's really a breeze to whip up and it'll keep for about a week in the fridge.  I just use a blender to combine all the ingredients and it works great.  You might need to pack down the ingredients a couple times, usually I pour in a little less than half of the oil to start, push it down a bit and then start a medium pulse.  From there you can slowly add the oil and get the desired consistency.  I like my pesto a little smoother, especially when using a real high quality extra virgin olive oil.  There are a multitude of applications, from pasta to sandwiches or use as a marinade, the sky's the limit.

For the Pesto:

1 Cup Basil Leaves

Up to 1/2 Cup Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 Cup Freshly Grated Parmagiano Reggiano

2 Tbs Pines Nuts

1 1/2 tsp Freshly Chopped Garlic

1/8 tsp Kosher Salt

1/8 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper

In a blender, combine half of the olive oil and the remaining ingredients.  Turn on to medium speed.  Once the basil starts to puree slowly add the rest of the olive oil and blend well.  Place in a jar with a tight fitting lid and keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.  Use on your favorite recipes.