Presto, here comes the pesto!
How did I get turned on to Pesto? I haven’t the foggiest idea, mate! How does anyone get turned on? The mind just lights up with a new idea and, presto! Now we’re on to pesto!
I joke…Actually, I recall that moment quite well. It was the beginning of a perfect summer day. If there were clouds in the sky, they would have been the kind that Botticeli’s paintings portray, to hold up his angels. Fluffy, and heavenly white. Behind a stand of produce at the farmers’ market I spotted a turbaned Indian man. Tall, with a strong aquiline nose and a dignified presence that made his beets and peppers seem that much better. His upright stance infused the atmosphere around him with respect and solemnity. As if there stood before me the high priest of the earth or the wise guru of bountiful produce. I instantly felt connected to his gravitas above all the other modern-day farmers displaying their wares at the market that day, wearing their branded t-shirts and best marketing smile, promoting legumes like they were the latest trend in wellness.
I chose a basket of dill cucumbers and my taciturn Indian guru picked it up with his big weathered hands and placed it in the bag. He didn’t smile or tried to woo me with more choices. His low prices, compared to the other farmers’, were, perhaps, an indication of his humble generosity or his sense of fairness. From there, I wanted to buy everything he sold. Beets, carrots, green peas…I looked around the stand and just to the side I saw a round basket filled with lush strands of basil, looking like it has just been picked and ready to be handed to me. “Basil?” I thought…”what am I going to do with basil?” And that, folks, is how I the idea of pesto was born!
Two Saturdays in a row now! I go to the farmers’ market, I seek out my friend and buy almost everything he’s got. He gives no sign of remembering me and hasn’t cracked a smile yet. He may never. But I appreciate his coolness. As fresh and true to form as the vegetables he sells.
Tonight I had to repurpose another batch of basil from,… you guessed it, my favourite stern farmer. And, the outcome, like everything else I got, fantastic!
In the name of improvement and creativity, with some inspiration from my girl Soraya, who suggested I add Feta cheese, here comes the world’s best pesto recipe, by me!
- Two bunches of fresh basil, washed, leaves picked from the stem and set aside. Makes about two cups of basil, without stacking it too tightly. You can add or subtract from this quantity based on your preference. See picture below for size reference.
- Four large cloves of garlic – because I put that stuff on everything and because I love the strong taste of garlic. If you prefer a more subtle flavor, cut the quantity in half or add to your taste.
- ½ cup of ground almonds. You can also use ½ cup whole almonds as they will grind in the processor.
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- ½ cup Feta cheese (you can substitute with parmesan or any other sharp cheese)
- ½ cup olive oil
- Pinch of sea salt – optional
- There’s not much prep from here. If you gather the ingredients above, your recipe is almost done. I’m not suggesting you eat them separately at this point but…. If you do, I won’t judge.
- Place the oil in the blender first (it helps with the blending), then the basil, garlic, cheese and nuts.
- Press the mix button at first then the puree button.
- You may have to stop the blender and stir once or twice if the ingredients get stuck at the bottom but putting the oil in first should prevent that from happening. — I like my pesto a little grainy as opposed to a fine paste. I enjoy the subtle crunchiness of the nuts between my teeth.
- Mix to the consistency you like, turn off the blender, taste the pesto, adjust with salt if you’d like and you’re done.
If you make too much, freeze some of it. It freezes very well and once defrosted it tastes perfectly fresh.
My pesto never made it onto pasta just yet. I ate it as a dip, either spread on toasted multigrain bread or scooped with zucchini sticks – like a vegie dip. Maybe the next batch I make will be used the conventional way….
The recipe above is quite low fat compared to the recommended quantity of oil and other ingredients normally used. It’s also not as oily as regular pesto. I know I’m biased but take my word for it, this pesto is da besto! If you’re still skeptical, make it and find out for yourself.
As for the Indian farmer…I’m keeping his coordinates to myself. I won’t tell you that he comes to town every Saturday and his stand is the one on the far right. If you’re greeted with a smile you got the wrong man! 😉
