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Making Pesto
By Andy | April 3, 2008
Pesto is a wonderfully tasty paste, traditionally made by blending basil, parmesan and garlic.
It can be used by itself and great served over home made pasta, delicious when used to marinate chicken and can be used as base for tasty salad dressings.
To store your pesto, pour it into an air tight jar and refrigerate. It will last for about 1 week. As you use the pesto, make sure there is a thin film of olive oil covering what remains to prevent spoiling in air.
Each recipe will makes around 400 grams, about 8 serves with pasta.
Each recipe will need about 5 minutes to make.
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.
Our Favourite Pesto
Ingredients
100 grams basil, leaves and stems.
100 grams parsley, leaves and stems.
60 mL olive oil.
50 grams fresh grated parmesan.
100 grams toasted pine nuts.
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled, trimmed and seperated.
Method
Wash and drain the basil and parsley.
Place basil, parsley and pine nuts in a blender.
Pulse until collapsed.
Add garlic and parmesan.
Pulse until the bulk collapsed.
Turn blender on and drizzle in 25 mL of the olive oil.
Stop, scrape sides of blender mix in any unprocessed ingredients.
Repeat with 25 mL of the oil.
Repeat with remaining oil.
The pesto chould have a nice glossy appearance and be smooth in consistency. If it appears dry, drizzle in small amounts of oil until the consistency is as you wish.
Basil Pesto
Ingredients
150 grams basil, leaves and stems.
60 mL olive oil.
50 grams fresh grated parmesan.
100 grams toasted pine nuts.
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled, trimmed and seperated.
Method
Wash and drain the basil.
Place basil and pine nuts in a blender.
Pulse until collapsed.
Add garlic and parmesan.
Pulse until the bulk collapsed.
Turn blender on and drizzle in 25 mL of the olive oil.
Stop, scrape sides of blender mix in any unprocessed ingredients.
Repeat with 25 mL of the oil.
Repeat with remaining oil.
The pesto chould have a nice glossy appearance and be smooth in consistency. If it appears dry, drizzle in small amounts of oil until the consistency is as you wish.
Spinach Pesto
Ingredients
150 grams baby spinach, leaves and stems.
60 mL olive oil.
50 grams fresh grated parmesan.
100 grams toasted pine nuts.
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled, trimmed and seperated.
Method
Wash and drain the spinach.
Place spinach and pine nuts in a blender.
Pulse until collapsed.
Add garlic and parmesan.
Pulse until the bulk collapsed.
Turn blender on and drizzle in 25 mL of the olive oil.
Stop, scrape sides of blender mix in any unprocessed ingredients.
Repeat with 25 mL of the oil.
Repeat with remaining oil.
The pesto chould have a nice glossy appearance and be smooth in consistency. If it appears dry, drizzle in small amounts of oil until the consistency is as you wish.
Oregano Pesto
Ingredients
150 grams oregano, leaves and stems.
60 mL olive oil.
50 grams fresh grated parmesan.
100 grams toasted pine nuts.
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled, trimmed and seperated.
Method
Wash and drain the oregano.
Place oregano and pine nuts in a blender.
Pulse until collapsed.
Add garlic and parmesan.
Pulse until the bulk collapsed.
Turn blender on and drizzle in 25 mL of the olive oil.
Stop, scrape sides of blender mix in any unprocessed ingredients.
Repeat with 25 mL of the oil.
Repeat with remaining oil.
The pesto chould have a nice glossy appearance and be smooth in consistency. If it appears dry, drizzle in small amounts of oil until the consistency is as you wish.
Coriander (cilantro) Pesto
Ingredients
150 grams coriander, leaves and stems.
60 mL olive oil.
50 grams fresh grated parmesan.
100 grams toasted pine nuts.
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled, trimmed and seperated.
1 red chili, seeds removed.
Method
Wash and drain the coriander.
Place coriander, chili and pine nuts in a blender.
Pulse until collapsed.
Add garlic and parmesan.
Pulse until the bulk collapsed.
Turn blender on and drizzle in 25 mL of the olive oil.
Stop, scrape sides of blender mix in any unprocessed ingredients.
Repeat with 25 mL of the oil.
Repeat with remaining oil.
The pesto chould have a nice glossy appearance and be smooth in consistency. If it appears dry, drizzle in small amounts of oil until the consistency is as you wish.
Parsley Pesto
Ingredients
150 grams parsley, leaves and stems.
60 mL olive oil.
50 grams fresh grated parmesan.
100 grams toasted pine nuts.
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled, trimmed and seperated.
Method
Wash and drain the parsley.
Place parsley and pine nuts in a blender.
Pulse until collapsed.
Add garlic and parmesan.
Pulse until the bulk collapsed.
Turn blender on and drizzle in 25 mL of the olive oil.
Stop, scrape sides of blender mix in any unprocessed ingredients.
Repeat with 25 mL of the oil.
Repeat with remaining oil.
The pesto chould have a nice glossy appearance and be smooth in consistency. If it appears dry, drizzle in small amounts of oil until the consistency is as you wish.
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
Ingredients
150 grams sun dried tomatoes in oil.
30 mL olive oil. You can substitute the oil from the sundried tomatoes and top up with olive oil if needed.
50 grams fresh grated parmesan.
100 grams toasted pine nuts.
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled, trimmed and seperated.
Method
Drain the excess oil from the sun dried tomatoes.
Place sun dried tomatoes and pine nuts in a blender.
Pulse until collapsed.
Add garlic and parmesan.
Pulse until the bulk collapsed.
Turn blender on and drizzle in 10 mL of the olive oil.
Stop, scrape sides of blender mix in any unprocessed ingredients.
Repeat with 10 mL of the oil.
Repeat with remaining oil.
The pesto chould have a nice glossy appearance and be smooth in consistency. If it appears dry, drizzle in small amounts of oil until the consistency is as you wish.
Char Grilled Eggplant Pesto
Ingredients
150 grams char grilled eggplant in oil.
30 mL olive oil. You can substitute the oil from the sundried tomatoes and top up with olive oil if needed.
50 grams fresh grated parmesan.
100 grams toasted pine nuts.
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled, trimmed and seperated.
Method
Drain the excess oil from the char grilled eggplant.
Place char grilled eggplant and pine nuts in a blender.
Pulse until collapsed.
Add garlic and parmesan.
Pulse until the bulk collapsed.
Turn blender on and drizzle in 10 mL of the olive oil.
Stop, scrape sides of blender mix in any unprocessed ingredients.
Repeat with 10 mL of the oil.
Repeat with remaining oil.
The pesto chould have a nice glossy appearance and be smooth in consistency. If it appears dry, drizzle in small amounts of oil until the consistency is as you wish.
Roasted Capsicum Pesto
Ingredients
150 grams roasted capsicum in oil.
30 mL olive oil. You can substitute the oil from the sundried tomatoes and top up with olive oil if needed.
50 grams fresh grated parmesan.
100 grams toasted pine nuts.
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled, trimmed and seperated.
Method
Drain the excess oil from the roasted capsicum.
Place roasted capsicum and pine nuts in a blender.
Pulse until collapsed.
Add garlic and parmesan.
Pulse until the bulk collapsed.
Turn blender on and drizzle in 10 mL of the olive oil.
Stop, scrape sides of blender mix in any unprocessed ingredients.
Repeat with 10 mL of the oil.
Repeat with remaining oil.
The pesto chould have a nice glossy appearance and be smooth in consistency. If it appears dry, drizzle in small amounts of oil until the consistency is as you wish.
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