I cook by feel, and my recipe books don’t get off the shelf much. With pesto, in particular, it’s all “to taste” in my kitchen, and to texture: Too little oil, and the blender or Cuisinart can’t process it; too much, and it won’t really freeze nicely. For me, freezing’s the main point. I don’t want to OD on pesto in high summer, but want a steady supply year-round.
I make a lot of pizza, crust and all, and I smear the unbaked crusts with olive oil, my pesto, and roasted garlic before I layer on homemade tomato sauce (stored frozen beside the pesto) and the cheeses.
An “ice cube” or two of defrosted pesto also makes a welcome spread on baguette or crackers with olives and cheese and other snacking things, when guests stop by. Nothing’s easier as a seasoning when making minestrone or pasta e fagioli, than to drop a cube into the bubbling broth (or garnish each serving with a teaspoonful).
My ingredients never vary: basil, peeled garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, grated parmesan and pine nuts, combined to taste and feel (usually in the blender). I like to go heavy on the garlic, but maybe you don’t. Substitute walnuts for pine nuts, and so on. There is dispute about whether to put the nuts and cheese in now, then freeze, or add them at the time of use. For me, the answer’s easy: I’d never use the pesto if I had to process
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