Blender Pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves (tear into small pieces before measuring)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. pine nuts (pignoli)
2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 tbsp. freshly grated Romano
3 tbsp. butter, softened to room temperature.

1. Put the basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic cloves, and salt in the blender and mix at high speed.
2. When the ingredients are evenly blended, pour into a bowl and beat in the two grated cheeses by hand. When the cheese has been evenly incorporated into the other ingredients, beat in the softened butter.
3. Before spooning the pesto over pasta, add to it a tablespoon or so of the hot water in which he pasta has boiled.

To freeze, mix the ingredients in the blender as directed in Step 1. Do not add the cheese or butter. Spoon the contents of the blender cup into a jar. Seal tightly and freeze. To use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and mix in the cheeses and butter just before serving. (The thawing can be hurried if you get an urge for pesto just an hour or so before dinner.)

You can also freeze the pesto in ice cube trays and then pack the cubes into plastic bags for the freezer. The recipe makes enough for 6 servings of pasta, so two or three cubes are enough for two servings. This is convenient, but the thawed pesto will keep for awhile in the refrigerator, so I usually freeze it in half pint jars.

Last Modified: 07-Sep-2002
Source: Marcella Hazan, The Classic Italian Cookbook, 140-141
Contact: Nancy Shoemaker, shoemaker@acm.org
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