Tasteful Tuesday

PESTO

Okay, after making pesto multiple times this summer, I just realized that this is not one of my tastes that is cheap.  I mean I guess it's not super expensive to make because you can use the ingredients a few times but it seems pretty pricey if you buy everything at once, you know?  

I like making pesto because I don't have to measure anything (not that I usually do), but it's hard to mess up and therefore, has my name all over it!

*Note - Bill did not eat this latest round of pesto and here is why - 

PEAS!

I used peas instead of spinach.  It was a great way to get rid of the peas in the freezer that I thought Addie Jo would eat awhile ago and never did.  And I actually found that there are a lot of recipes online that call for peas too.  

- First cook pasta and then rinse with cold water after draining. 

- I boiled peas according to package at the same time the noodles were on the stove.  I used about 2.5 cups or so of frozen peas (12-16 oz. bag).  You don't have to use a 10 month old bag but it worked just fine!  

 In my oh so fabulous food processor that was a splurge Christmas present last year (even being $100 off), here's what went in: 

- I used a handful of basil from the yard.

- Then I threw in a about two sprigs of mint leaves - yes, another ingredient I don't usually use in pesto.

- I also had a 1/3 of a bag of salad in the fridge that I tossed in - see, I don't really do well with following recipes.

- Then it was 3-4 cloves of garlic, because I always go heavy when it comes to garlic.

- About 1/2 cup of dry walnuts that I toasted up over the stove.

- Maybe 3/4 cup of really good parmesan cheese, grated.

- Maybe 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil.

I pulsed everything together a few times then turned that puppy onto high and started slowly pouring in  the olive oil until desired consistency.    

- Then I added salt and ground pepper to finish it off.  I usually wait to add the salt because good parmesan is salty.  

***I had some leftover that I popped in the freezer.

Looking good

Then mix well with whatever pasta or put on bread- 

Verdict - FANTASTIC! It didn't taste very different from our regular pesto (Bill didn't believe me) other than the consistency of the peas and the mint that gave it a "freshness"... but it didn't taste like mint because the other flavors were so overpowering.  I also saw some that recipes called for lemon juice, which would have been a great addition and added even more freshness!  

Salud and happy cooking! 

Mint taking over one of our beds out back