Basil Pesto (with Pasta, Tomatoes and Toasted Pine Nuts)

From: Jessica Mladineo


I didn't have one ounce of pesto touch my lips until eating it at an Italian restaurant on Newbury Street in Boston when I was a freshman in college. Since then, I've been making up for all the years I went without! This is my own recipe. So fun to make in the summer when you can buy oodles of fresh basil at the farmer's market. Freezes well.

Pesto:
1 ½ cups fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
¼ cup pine nuts
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup olive oil (more or less to desired consistency)

Wash basil leaves thoroughly. Blend basil and garlic cloves (minced) in food processor. Add pine nuts and Parmesan cheese. With motor running, add oil slowly until all ingredients are puréed. Scrape down sides of food processor with a spatula as needed.

Complements:
8 oz. dried pasta (cooked)
1 diced plum tomato (seeds removed)
¼ c. toasted pine nuts.

Cook and drain pasta. Return pot to the stove and warm pesto sauce. Add pasta and toss in tomatoes and pine nuts (the warm pasta will cook the tomatoes just enough). Add additional Parmesan cheese if desired.