It doesn’t always have to be the store-bought stuff! Why not make pesto yourself and get a bit creative? This flavour-filled recipe will help you liven up your dinner plate and invigorate your senses. With home-made pesto, any meal will taste better! Eat it with your favourite pasta, on crusty bread or to round off a salad, pizza, steak or piece of fish. Pesto is an aromatic all-round talent and foodie staple.

Ingredients:
For 250g

• 40g fresh basil leaves
• 100ml good quality olive oil
• 60g Parmesan, grated
• 20g sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
• 50g walnuts, roasted and finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 red mini chili pepper
• 1 pinch sea salt (or to taste)
• Pepper

Instructions:

1. In a frying pan, slowly roast the walnuts for several minutes. Be careful not to blacken the pieces. Use a wooden spoon to turn them in the pan. Take the pan off the heat and let the nuts cool down.
2. Use a large kitchen knife and chopping board to finely chop the sundried tomatoes, garlic, roasted walnuts and small chili pepper. Then grate the Parmesan.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine fresh basil leaves, 80ml of the olive oil, grated parmesan, ¾ of the chopped sundried tomatoes, chopped garlic and ¾ of the chopped walnuts and form a smooth paste by using a stick blender. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add the rest of the sundried tomato and walnut pieces to the paste and stir.
5. Fill the pesto in a sterilized jar. Cover the paste with the rest of the olive oil so that the pesto will keep longer.
6. Store in the fridge and use within 3 days.

 

Author: Danica Utermohlen
Picture credits: Danica Utermohlen

Disclaimer: This article has been edited. It was first published on 27/12/2015 for GloTIME, http://www.glotime.org/13939/ in cooperation with Castelli (www.castelli-uk.com)