I absolutely adore pesto. But the storebought variety leaves me cold. So, once again I have to say that a homemade product is so much better then what you buy on a shelf in the supermarket. And speak of easy and quick. I make a big batch and keep it in the refrigerator for up to tow weeks. Just make sure you cover it with a layer of olive oil. It never lasts that long though. We use a lot of pesto ; with pasta, on sandwiches, on toasted pannis, with tomatoes and burrata, with salads, soups… just about eveywhere. This recipe makes about one cup of pesto.

Recipe

1. 60 g fresh washed and dried basil leaves
2. 60 g finely grated parmesan cheese
3. 50 g pine nuts
4. 1 large clove of garlic
5. olive oil to taste (about 100 ml)
6. 5 ml lemon juice
7. Salt and pepper

• Add the basil leaves, parmesan cheese, garlic and pine nuts to a blender and blend.
• Add the olive oil and blend to a pulp, not smooth like a sauce.
• Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper.
• Transfer to a container and taste for seasoning.
• Add a layer of olive oil, cover with a lid and store in the refrigerator.

Makes about 1 cup of pesto

Pinch of salt.

1. Store for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
2. Add to ice cube tray and store in the freezer. Take as many ice cubes of pesto as you need and defrost. Can be stored for a month.
3. Use parsley or arugula instead of basil.
4. Omit the lemon juice, which might add decoloration to the pesto.
5. Use on sandwiches, in salads, with tomato and burrata or mozzarella, on pizzas, toasted paninis.