Pesto Pasta
A big-batch basil pesto to toss through pasta, spread on sambos or freeze in cubes - with a couple of tricks to keep it a vivid, umami-rich green.
Serves: Makes 2 cups
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes
INGREDIENTS
4 bunches basil (about 10 cups, loosely packed)
1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted and cooled
1 1/2 cups finely grated pecorino and Parmesan, loosely packed
2 tsp sea salt
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed
METHOD
A couple of tips before you start. To soften the flavour, poach the garlic clove in milk for a few minutes first - it's essential to the umaminess of pesto, but some people can't deal with it raw. And to make it the ultimate green, dunk the basil into boiling water then immediately plunge it into iced water to shock it, then pat off the excess before you start.
Put everything in a food processor and blend to your desired level of smoothness or chunkiness.
Make sure it's covered in oil before you pop it in the fridge, where it will keep for 2 weeks. Otherwise freeze it in ice-cube trays, then store the pesto cubes in zip-lock bags in the freezer.
Toss through al dente pasta with a little extra pasta water to loosen it all and emulsify.
HINTS
Poaching the garlic in milk first tames its raw bite while keeping all the savoury depth it brings.
Blanching and shocking the basil is the trick to a pesto that stays vivid green rather than dulling to khaki.
Always keep a film of oil over the top in the fridge, or freeze in cubes, so it doesn't oxidise.
NUTRITION (per recipe total, makes 2 cups - guide only):
Energy: 11800 kJ (2820 cal)
Protein: 55 g
Fat: 290 g
Saturated fat: 55 g
Carbohydrate: 14 g
Sugars: 3 g
Sodium: 6400 mg
This nutrition information is a guide only and may vary depending on brands, exact quantities, and ingredient substitutions used.