Pasta with Pesto Sauce

Ingredients

2 cups fresh basil, washed and de-stemmed
1 cup pine nuts
4 cloves garlic
1 cup shredded asiago cheese (or freshly grated parmesan)
2 t coarse ground black pepper
to taste salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
cooked pasta of choice

Instructions

Process the first six ingredients in a food processor until uniformly chopped. Gradually add the olive oil while the processor is running. You'll definitely want to taste and add things as needed. Consistency will be a fairly thick paste. Serve over hot pasta (our favorites: ribbed penne or capellini). Serves four (or two if you like your pasta saucy - and who doesn't?).

Notes

This so easy to make, and it tastes best when you use fresh ingredients. As easy as this is, I don't understand why pesto doesn't taste better in most restaurants. Because I love it so much, we often freeze basil at the end of the summer. To freeze basil, pick the leaves off the stems, wash the leaves and dry thoroughly. Pack leaves into a quart sized freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to one year. When you're ready to use it, just pull it out of the freezer immediatly prior to using. Crush up the leaves a little bit before you open the bag, and proceed as directed. The crushed-up frozen basil can also be used in other recipes that call for fresh basil. It's a great alternative to dried basil.

 

Something possessed me to put some of my favorite recipes on my web site back in 1995. I add a new one now and then when I discover something interesting. My recipes are generally combinations of favorite recipes I've found in cookbooks. They were developed through experimentation and lots of tasting!
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