My family loves pesto, especially my father. We will have it on bread with cheese, on pasta, on sandwiches or even in salads (I've added it to Caprese Salads when I don't have basil). My version is fairly traditional with a few additions of parsley and cracked black pepper. I also add a bit more garlic to make it more pungent. Lastly, I only add a bit of freshly graded Parmesan Cheese at the end and fold it.
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1-2 hand fulls of dry toasted pine nuts (maybe 1/3ish of a cup)
2 good pinches of salt
few grinds of freshly cracked pepper
1 very large bunch of basil (upwards of 30ish leaves)
1 large handful of flat leaf parsley
extra virgin olive oil, 1/4-1/2 cup
1/4 cup freshly graded Parmesan Cheese
In a food processor, pulse together the garlic, pine nuts, salt and pepper till a paste forms (maybe 15-20 seconds). Scrape down the sides with a spatula and add the basil and parsley. Pulse lightly every second until the basil and parsley are chopped finely. Push the on button on the food processor and drizzle in the olive oil from the top until a nice smooth pesto forms. Take out and put into a bowl, fold in the Parmesan Cheese and taste for seasoning. It should be a little garlicky, salty, and most of all basily.
