Best Classic Pesto Recipes

CLASSIC PESTO

Steps:

• Heat a small frying pan over a low heat. Cook the pine nuts until golden, shaking occasionally. Put into a food processor with the basil, parmesan, olive oil and garlic cloves. Whizz until smooth, then season to taste.

QUICK & SIMPLE PESTO (CLASSIC PESTO RECIPE) SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor & cover.
• Blend on medium speed about 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape sides, until smooth.

CLASSIC PESTO

Steps:

• Combine first 4 ingredients in blender. Blend until paste forms, stopping often to push down basil. Add both cheeses and salt; blend until smooth. Transfer to small bowl. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Top with 1/2 inch olive oil and chill.)

CLASSIC PESTO

Steps:

• Combine basil, oil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and salt in a food processor or blender. Mix until smooth.

CLASSIC PESTO

Steps:

• Place the basil, cheese, garlic and salt in a food processor; cover and pulse until chopped. Add nuts; cover and process until blended. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream. Store in an airtight container in the freezer up to 1 year.

CLASSIC PESTO

Steps:

• Add the basil, Parmesan, pine nuts and garlic to a food processor. Pulse a few times to break up the garlic and nuts. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and pulse a few more times, scraping down the sides as needed. With the motor running, stream in the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and the lemon juice until a thick paste forms. Add salt and pepper to taste and pulse a few more times to combine.
• Remove and store, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 2 days (with a thin layer of olive oil drizzled on top so that it does not turn brown).

CLASSIC SPANISH TORTILLA WITH ROASTED JALAPENO PESTO

Steps:

• For the Roasted Jalapeño Pesto: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, toss the jalapenos with a few teaspoons of canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet in an even layer and roast until golden brown and charred, turning once, about 18 minutes. Return the jalapenos to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam for 15 minutes. Peel and seed the jalapenos (discard the skin and seeds) and transfer to a food processor.
• Add the parsley, pine nuts, and garlic to the food processor and pulse to coarsely chop. With the motor running, add the olive oil through the feed tube and process until smooth. Scrape into a bowl, fold in the cheese, and season with salt and pepper. The pesto can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 2 days.
• For the Classic Spanish Tortilla: Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a 10-inch nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron pan over medium heat until it begins to shimmer. Add half the potatoes and one-third of the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat if needed, so that they do not brown, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 8 minutes. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a colander set over a bowl. Add the remaining 1/2 cup oil to the pan and heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the remaining potatoes and one-third more of the thyme, season with salt and pepper, and cook as you did the first batch. Transfer the second batch of potatoes to the colander with the first and set aside.
• Pour all but 2 tablespoons of the oil from the pan into a heatproof measuring cup and set aside. Heat the oil remaining in the pan over medium heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining thyme and season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Whisk together the eggs in a large bowl until lightly frothy and evenly colored, about 2 minutes. Fold the potatoes and onions into the eggs until evenly combined. In the pan you used to cook the potatoes, heat 2 tablespoons of the reserved oil over medium heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the egg mixture to the pan, making sure the potatoes and onions are evenly distributed. As soon as the edges firm up, after a minute or so, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the bottom is set and light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and broil until the top is puffed and lightly golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the strength of your broiler.
• Rub a spatula around the outside of the pan and along the bottom and slide the tortilla out onto a cutting board. Cut the tortilla into wedges and transfer to a plate. Let cool slightly.
• To serve: Drizzle the tortilla with pesto and serve warm (not hot) or at room temperature. Do not refrigerate.

CLASSIC OMELET WITH SPINACH-BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat an 8-inch pan over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Add oil and swirl to coat. Season eggs with salt and pepper and pour into pan.
• Cook, occasionally tilting pan and lifting up set egg. Cook until omelet is just set, 3 to 4 minutes (be careful to not let the bottom brown).
• Spread half the omelet with pesto and flip over other side. Continue to cook until pesto is warm, about 30 seconds more.

CLASSIC TURKEY PESTO SANDWICH

Steps:

• For each sandwich, spread each slice of lightly toasted bread on one side with softened butter, pesto and white wine Dijon mustard (use more or less, to taste).
• Assemble your sandwich with romaine, slice of fresh tomato and thin slice of red onion, slice of provolone cheese, one or two thin slices lightly smoked deli turkey meat, and a light drizzle of balsamic.
• Slice in half to serve. Enjoy!

CLASSIC PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until golden and fragrant, tossing once, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from baking sheet to prevent further browning. Let cool completely. In a food processor, combine nuts, basil, cheese, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Process until finely chopped. With machine running, pour oil in a steady stream through the feed tube; process until smooth.

CLASSIC PESTO MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Combine ground beef, onion, pepper, pesto, bread crumbs, ricotta, salt and pepper; mix well. Roll meatballs into 1 1/2"-inch balls and freeze or cook.
• Saute: saute meatballs on the stove with 2 teaspoons canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat (taking care not to overcrowd the pan). Turn frequently to brown on all sides, until cooked through. Small meatballs will take 8-10 minutes.
• Bake: bake meatballs in a 350 oven in a glass baking dish or on a rimmed baking sheet. Small meatballs will take 25 minutes.
• Grilled: freeze meatballs for 20 minutes, then skewer them close together on prepared kabob sticks and GRILL over medium-high heat on oiled grates, turning occasionally until cooked through. Small meatballs will take about 10 miutes.
• Freezing: Place rolled meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer to plastic storage containers or heavy-duty resealable bags, label and freeze for up to a month.
• Note: If the prepared pesto you buy is salty, reduce the kosher salt in this recipe.

CLASSIC MINESTRONE WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Rinse spinach leaves, set aside. If using large leaves, you may want to chop them. I just use the bag of small leaves, and don't chop. Heat oil in a large stockpot. Add the leeks, carrots, onion and celery and sauté over medium heat until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the stock or water, potato, zucchini, spinach and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 1 hour. Stir in the beans and salt to taste. Simmer just until the flavors have blended, about 10 minutes. (The soup can be refrigerated for 2 days and reheated just before serving.) I sauté Italian turkey sausage, or cut up precooked chicken/turkey pesto sausage (or anyone you like) and sauté it and then add it to the soup. It adds some additional protein and flavor or you can add basil pesto to taste instead ( ¼ cup is what is suggested in the recipe). Ladle soup into bowls and serve with grated cheese.

CLASSIC PESTO

Steps:

• Place pine nuts and garlic in food processor; process until finely chopped. Add half the basil and process until coarsely chopped. Add remaining basil. With machine running, pour oil in thin, steady stream through feed tube.
• Transfer pesto to mixing bowl and fold in cheese and salt with spatula. (This will make enough to sauce pasta for 6.).

TAGLIATELLE WITH PEAS, SAUSAGE, RICOTTA AND CLASSIC GENOVESE PESTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add a good tablespoon of salt to the water. Add the pasta and cook according to box instructions, reducing the cooking time by 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water.
• While the pasta is cooking, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil, garlic and red pepper flakes over medium heat. Add the sausage, breaking it up with the side of a spoon. Cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
• Add the peas, ricotta and pesto to the skillet and mix to combine. Add the pasta to the skillet, along with a couple of tablespoons of pasta water. Stir until the sauce coats all of the pasta. Mix well using a pair on thongs. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and the black pepper. Add the sausage back to the skillet. Serve with Parmesan.

QUICK & SIMPLE PESTO (CLASSIC PESTO RECIPE) SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor & cover.
• Blend on medium speed about 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape sides, until smooth.

CLASSIC PESTO

Steps:

• To make the pesto in a mortar
• Place a few leaves of the basil in the bottom of a mortar and sprinkle the salt over them. Crush the leaves coarsely with the pestle, add a few more leaves, and continue crushing, adding new leaves each time those in the mortar are crushed, until all the leaves are coarsely ground. Toss in the garlic and pound until the mixture forms a smooth paste. Add the pine nuts and grind them to a paste. Stir in the cheese, then enough of the olive oil to give the pesto a creamy consistency.
• To make the pesto in a food processor
• Combine the basil, salt, and garlic in the work bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the oil, and blend at low speed, stopping frequently to press the basil down around the blades, until the basil forms a coarse paste. Toss in the pine nuts and pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Blend until the pine nuts are ground fine. Stir in the grated cheeses and enough additional olive oil to form a creamy paste.
• Toasting Pine Nuts
• To toast pine nuts, spread them out on a baking sheet and bake in a 325° F oven, shaking the pan once or twice as they bake, until lightly and evenly browned, about 6 minutes. Or toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan continuously, until they turn golden brown, about 6 minutes.
• To serve 2
• Cook 8 ounces long (spaghetti or linguine, for example) dried pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until done. Ladle out and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta-cooking liquid. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot off the heat. Add about 6 tablespoons of the pesto and enough pasta-cooking water to make the pesto fluid enough to coat the pasta lightly. Stir in grated Parmigiano-Reggiano to taste, if you like, and check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if you like.

GIADA'S CLASSIC PESTO (PESTO ALLA GENOVESE) - GIADZY

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until finely chopped. With the blender still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in the cheese. Season the pesto with more salt and pepper to taste.
• The pesto can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

CLASSIC PESTO

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in blender or food processor.
• Cover and blend on medium speed about 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape sides, until smooth.

CLASSIC PESTO

Steps:

• Combine and whirl basil, parsley, pine nuts and garlic in a food processor until chopped.
• Add cheese gradually pour in oil processing until smooth.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Transfer to a small bowl and cover in plastic wrap, pressing the wrap on to the surface to prevent browning.
• Use within a week or freeze.