Name: Pesto (Basil sauce)
Yield: Makes about 300 ml (½ pint)
Ingredients: 500 ml (¾ pint) basil leaves; 60 g (2 oz) pine kernels; 30 g (1 oz) grated parmesan cheese; 30 g (1 oz) grated pecorino cheese; 15 ml spoon (1 tablespoon) butter (optional); about 180 ml (6 fl oz) olive oil; 2 cloves of garlic, sliced

Preparation info

Makes about
300 ml

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Cooking of the Mediterranean

By Jane Grigson

Published 1991

About

Excellent with fresh pasta or stirred into vegetable soups. Basil is not a commonly sold herb but many people now grow it in their gardens. The quantity given here assumes that it is lightly packed into the measuring container.

Ingredients

500 ml (¾ pint) basil leaves
60 g (2

Method

Process or blend the basil, pine kernels, garlic and 6 × 15 ml spoon (6 tablespoons) olive oil. Whizz to a paste and then add the remaining olive oil and the cheeses. Taste and add extra cheese if you l