Homemade Basil Pesto

I have never tasted Pesto before this! Reason is Pesto is not exactly an Asian sauce. Ever since I started to blog, I have been seeing lots of Pesto recipes and in cookbooks too! Well, I was curious! It does sound delicious, as I love basil! There are ready-made Pesto sold in jars in certain supermarkets, but the thought of making my own has been on my mind for several months now. 

Basil leaves from my garden, smells wonderful! 

I did a search for Basil Pesto recipe and came to the conclusion that there is no fixed measurement when it comes to making Pesto. It all depends on individual taste. And I do not have a food processor, (it has been on my wishlist for quite a while!), so I use the blender. Though the traditional way of making Pesto is by using the mortar and pestle, which would give a tastier result as the basil and the rest of the ingredients are pounded together, thus giving a maximum flavour. Some recipes I've read, calls for the ingredients to be chopped, that's a lot of chopping to do! But for convenience and a quick time saving effort, the food processor is used by most people. 

 Pine nuts are extremely tasty! And expensive! May use walnuts instead.

My homemade Basil Pesto, organic Basil leaves from my own garden. The satisfaction of seeing home-grown herbs in a delicious paste. This sauce is delicious, now I know what the fuss is all about when it comes to Basil Pesto! (wink!).

I have almost finished this jar of pesto! Made something delicious with this pesto, coming up in next post. I'm already planning on making the next jar, with a mixture of fresh parsley!

I'm submitting this to the Christmas Giveaway in The Sweet Spot, any dish or bake, sweet or savory, with green and/or red in it. Please hop over to The Sweet Spot for more details. 

Basil Pesto
(by kitchen flavours)
3-4 cups fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1/3 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 - 3/4 cup olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste

Put all ingredients except salt and pepper into a food processor or blender. Blend to a paste, slowly pour in the olive oil as you blend. More olive oil can be added for a thinner Pesto. Season with salt and pepper. Store in glass jar and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Pesto may be stored in freezer for up to 3 to 4 months. Simply freeze them in ice cube trays, once frozen, remove and store in a container, in the freezer.