Pesto

Pesto was the first i explored without using a recipe. I started with basic pesto listed below and explored from there. Now of course there weer several combination's that did not work and there are a few I am still trying to prefect.

Traditional Pest

Ingredients:
3 bunches of Basil - leaves taken from the stems
4 cloves garlic - rough chopped
1 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/2 to 3/4 cups of parmesan cheese (fresh)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Place basil in a food processor and pulse to chop. Next add the garlic, salt and pepper and pulse to mix. Add the pine nuts and with the olive oil in hand turn on the food processor and slowly stream the olive oil into the mixture until smooth. Sometimes it takes the full half cup, sometimes a little less and sometime a bit more. When you get comfortable making the pesto just stream for the bottle until it gets the way you like it.

Now I do not add the cheese into the pesto like most recipes direct. I found that if you add the cheese later when you are mixing the pasta and the pesto it has a better taste.

Make you favorite pasta as per the directions on the package but before the pasta is done, take about 1/3 to 1/4 cup of the hot pasta water and place it in a large bowl. Now add the pesto and mix with a large wood spoon (do not use metal it gives a metallic taste to the pesto). Now add the hot pasta and the cheese and mix well and serve.

This is your basic pesto. My basic pesto is all the above but i add a bunch of Chives to the mix. Place the chives in the food processor at the same time as the basil, i just like the flavor the chives add to the Pesto.

Time to mix it up. Here are three Variations on "Pesto" that i have come up with;

Tarragon Pesto

Ingredients
2 bunches of Tarragon, leaves taken from the stems
2 bunches of Chives
4 cloves of Garlic - rough chopped
1 cup of Hazel Nuts
1/2 cup of Olive oil
1/2 to 3/4 cup Assiago Cheese, Fresh
Salt and pepper to taste

Follow the Directions above

Parsley
3 bunches of Italian Parsley - stems removed
1 bunch of Chives
2 cloves of Garlic
2 Shallots - rough chopped
1 cup Pistachio nuts, un-salted
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 to 3/4 cup of Goat cheese
Salt & pepper to taste

Follow directions above

Cilantro
3 bunches of Cilantro - stems removed
1 bunch of chives
4 Shallots - rough chopped
1 cup Almonds
3/4 cup Assiago Cheese
1/2 olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Follow directions above


Now i do have a mint, chervill, sage and sorrel pesto's but i am still adjusting the recipes since they are not as straight forward as the above: and there is my Avocado one but that is my secret recipe that wows everyone i serve it to so I will keep it to myself for awhile.


My next entry will be the are the wonderful, perfect for summer salads I learned when in Jordan and Syria and the Variations that I came up.

Have fun cooking