This traditional basil pesto from Italy’s Cinque Terre region can be used to make a variety of dishes — from pesto pasta to pesto pizza. We especially love it on Roasted Tomato Grilled Cheese Sandwiches!
To make basil pesto, you’ll need some pine nuts. And yes — pine nuts are actually harvested from pine cones!
In Italy, the stone pine is preferred for its large seeds. Here in the U.S., pinyon pine nuts were a favorite food of Native Americans. Pine nuts are harvested under each scale of the pine cone. This takes a lot of time, so you’ll probably want to get some from your local market.
Homemade Pesto Ingredients
- Pine nuts
- Fresh basil leaves
- Garlic
- Parmesan cheese
- Coarse sea salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh cracked pepper and more sea salt to taste
How to Make Basil Pesto
- Before beginning the pesto, toast 1/2 to 1 cup pine nuts on a hot pan over high heat. Don’t walk away from this, as they cook quickly. Shake pan continuously until they turn golden brown. Remove from heat.
- In a food processor, pulse basil, garlic and toasted pine nuts for about a minute, scraping down with a rubber spatula. Add the grated parmesan cheese and sea salt. Slowly blend in the olive oil, a little at a time. Season with fresh cracked pepper and additional salt if desired.
- Store in the refrigerator until ready to use, or make pesto pasta.
- To make pesto pasta, mix 2 cups cooked penne pasta with 1/2 cup fresh pesto. Add fresh diced rotisserie chicken for a chicken pesto recipe. Top with additional grated parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts and fresh basil leaves if desired.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
- Pizzocherri Italian Alpine Pasta
- Baked Feta Pasta
- Cacio e Pepe
- Four-Cheese Truffle Gnocchi
- Lasagne alla Bolognese
- Creamy Mushroom Pasta
- Creamy Chicken Florentine Pasta
Basil Pesto
Recipe by Jason Hill – CookingSessions.comBasil pesto was born in Northern Italy, in the sea port region of Genoa. This traditional pesto sauce from the Cinque Terre region can be used to make a variety of dishes — from chicken pesto and sun dried tomato pesto to pesto salad and pesto pizza.
Ingredients
- ½-1 cup pine nuts
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves rinsed
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
- 1 ½ – 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh cracked pepper and more sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Before beginning the pesto, toast 1/2 to 1 cup pine nuts on a hot pan over high heat. Don’t walk away from this, as they cook quickly. Shake pan continuously until they turn golden brown. Remove from heat.
- In a food processor, pulse basil, garlic and toasted pine nuts for about a minute, scraping down with a rubber spatula. Add the grated parmesan cheese and sea salt. Slowly blend in the olive oil, a little at a time. Season with fresh cracked pepper and additional salt if desired.
- Store in the refrigerator until ready to use, or make pesto pasta.
Make Your Pasta
- To make pesto pasta, mix 2 cups cooked penne pasta with 1/2 cup fresh pesto. Add fresh diced rotisserie chicken for a chicken pesto recipe. Top with additional grated parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts and fresh basil leaves if desired.
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