Pesto
“The garlic in some pesto can be overpowering, so this recipe is heavy on the herbs instead.”
- 110g blanched almonds, lightly roasted
- 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
- 70g grated parmesan
- 21/2 cups tightly packed parsley leaves
- 11/2 cups tightly packed basil leaves
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus a little extra
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground white pepper
It's simple to go beyond the standard basil and pinenut recipe when making pesto - just change the nuts and alter the herbs or greens. Use the quantities in the parsley and almond pesto recipe as a guide and try these alternatives: rocket and hazelnut; watercress and walnut; coriander and peanut. Substitute pecorino for parmesan with watercress and walnuts. Omit the cheese in the coriander option but use extra peanuts.
Method
Puree all ingredients in a food processor until you have a smooth paste. Add more oil if needed. Place in a container and drizzle a little olive oil over the surface to prevent oxidisation. Refrigerate until needed.
Makes about 500g
