Garlic-Free Basil Pesto
Bright, nutty basil pesto made with toasted pine nuts, Parmesan, lemon and good olive oil, with no garlic at all. Stir it into pasta, spread it on toast or spoon it over roasted vegetables.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 3 min
- Total
- 13 min
- Serves
- 8
Blanching the basil for just a few seconds keeps the pesto vividly green instead of dark and dull. To serve with pasta, thin the pesto with a few spoonfuls of the starchy cooking water. The pesto keeps in the fridge for 5 days, or freeze it in an ice cube tray for up to 3 months.
Method
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Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for , shaking the pan often, until golden. Tip them onto a plate to cool for .
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Bring a small pot of water to a boil and have a bowl of ice water ready. Drop in the basil for , then lift it into the ice water.
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Drain the basil, squeeze out as much water as you can and pat it dry.
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Add the pine nuts, basil, Parmesan, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
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With the motor running, pour in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until the pesto is smooth but still a little textured.
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Taste and adjust the salt and lemon juice.
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Use right away, or pack into a jar and cover the surface with a thin layer of olive oil.
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