| Basil Pesto | |
| 2-3 cups | fresh basil leaves |
| 1/2 cup | raw walnuts |
| 1-2 cloves | garlic, peeled |
| 1/2 cup | extra virgin olive oil |
| salt and pepper | |
| You really need a food processor for this, but it can be done in a blender. | |
| In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, put the garlic and walnuts. Pulse several times to grind the ingredients together. Add the basil and pulse until just incorporated. | |
| While the machine is running, pour in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. | |
| If you are using the pesto for pasta, heat it by adding a ladle of the the pasta water to the sauce. If you prefer something a little creamier, try adding about 1/3-1/2 cup of hot unsweetened almond milk to warm it up. Whatever you do, do not heat the sauce on the stove or in the microwave. | |
| There is always extra ready for the freezer. I like to use gladware containers purely out of convenience. The best thing to do is freeze the remaining pesto in ice cube trays, and keep the frozen cubes in a large resealable bag. | |