INGREDIENTS
4 cups basil leaves, washed and dried
1 cup pine nuts
4 cloves garlic
1 cup Parmesan, shredded
1/2 cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS
Place basil, pine nuts and garlic in food
processor. Pulse until large chunks are
gone. Add cheese and process while adding
olive oil. Remove from processor and either
use immediately or freeze.
Makes 2 1/2 cups

Serving as a spread? Keep pesto fresh
by covering the surface with drizzled olive
oil to keep air from oxidizing the color.

Serving hot on pasta? Remember to
save 2 cups of hot pasta water to thin the
pesto and mix with the pasta. In a large
bowl, toss one cup of pesto with one cup
of pasta water, stir in one pound of cooked
pasta and add extra water if needed to
make a creamy sauce that coats the pasta.
Add black pepper to taste. Serve with extra
cheese, nuts and shredded basil leaves
for added flavor.

Freezing? Place in quart size freezer Ziplocs,
press flat to remove all the air, seal
and place all bags together in another bag.
Freeze flat. Can be frozen up to one year
if sealed well. Does not need to be thawed
before using on hot pasta.