Freeze It: Basil Pesto
- Ready In:
- 1hr
- Ingredients:
- 6
- Yields:
-
1 3/4 cup
ingredients
- 1 cup walnuts or 1 cup pine nuts
- coarse salt
- pepper
- 8 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves (4 ounces)
- 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- 2⁄3 cup extra virgin olive oil
directions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spread nuts evenly on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until golden and fragrant, tossing once, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Meanwhile, bring 4 cups salted water to a boil; add basil, and submerge with a spoon. Immediately drain in a colander. Rinse with cold water until cool, then pat basil completely dry in paper towels.
- In a food processor, combine nuts, basil, and garlic; season generously with salt and pepper. Process until nuts are finely chopped. With machine running, pour oil in a steady stream through the feed tube; process until smooth. Use immediately, or freeze. To freeze, spoon pesto into an ice-cube tray (2 tablespoons per cube); cover with plastic wrap. Freeze overnight, then transfer cubes to a resealable plastic bag; keep up to 6 months. Defrost pesto at room temperature, about 20 minutes (or at 30-second intervals in the microwave). Mash with a fork before using in recipes.
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Reviews
-
09/27/07: Made this yesterday and have not yet tasted it, but the basil stayed green after getting frozen! I'm certain that this will taste fine. I'm also delighted to have found a recipe to help me preserve the pesto over the coming winter. Thank you! Update: this kept very well in the freezer and was full of flavor for over six months. Thank you again!
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
<p>I am a wife, mother and nurse. I have 2 boys born in 2002 and 2003. I love to cook and try to make something new at least once a week.The picture is my little boy Luke taking pictures of his dinner like mommy. I have really enjoyed posting pictures and will try to improve and do it more often. <br /><img src=http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e78/lmillerrn/LukeSamDad.jpg/IMG alt= /> <img src=http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e78/lmillerrn/engagementpicture.jpg/IMG alt= /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/beartag_1_1.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /> <br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/adopted_1_1.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src=http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/DUCHESS13/FFF/completedbanner.gif alt= /> <br /><br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/projects/FinishedJollyRoger_1.jpg border=0 alt=Image /> <br />[IMG]http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e78/lmillerrn/FemCrewnamescomplete.jpg[/IMG] <br /><br /><a href=http://photobucket.com target=_blank><img src=http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e78/lmillerrn/FemCrewnamescomplete.jpg border=0 alt=Photo /></a> <br /><img src=http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/DUCHESS13/World%20Tour/ZWT2.gif alt= /> <br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/untitled.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /> <br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/200_artistrichardneuman-art-prints_.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /> <br /><img src=http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/DUCHESS13/FFF/Switzerland-FFF4.gif alt= /> <br /><br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/projects/200_PACpic.jpg border=0 alt=Photo /> <br /><br /><br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/projects/pacbanner.jpg border=0 alt=Photo /> <br /><br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/Adopted1smp.jpg border=0 alt=Photo /> <br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/smPACp.jpg border=0 alt=Photo /></p>