• 100 g basil
• 50 g pinenuts lightly toasted
• 2 cloves of garlic
• salt and pepper
• 200-250 mls olive oil
• 40 g parmesan, grated

PUT EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE OIL and cheese in a food processor and blend to a coarse puree. Add half the oil and the parmesan and blend again for a few seconds. Transfer the pesto to a jug or bowl and stir in the rest of the oil, or as much of it as you think the pesto needs. Different dishes need their accompanying pesto at different consistencies, so I think it is best to store the pesto thick and dilute it with olive oil when and as you wish. Keep a thin film of olive oil on the top of the stored pesto, to help preserve the colour.

For basil pesto dressing, simply take a few spoons of the pesto, dilute it to a pouring consistency with olive oil, then add some lemon juice to taste.