Over the years I’ve experimented with numerous made-from-scratch basil pesto recipes, trying to perfect ingredient ratio and technique to create a sauce/spread that sings out the zesty notes of summer without the potential pitfalls that come with highly flavored ingredients. I’ve made a few versions with too much oil and with so much garlic I could have bottled and sold the pesto as a vampire deterrent. Even the pesto recipes that nail the proportions often result in a sauce that lacks the gorgeous emerald hue I crave when preparing recipes with fresh basil.
This version delivers on a bright, green pesto with a perfect balance of oil, nuts, cheese, and garlic. Blanching is the secret to mellowing fresh garlic's intensity while amplifying the green in fresh basil. I also like to store this best garden fresh basil pesto in a tightly sealed container. I even lay plastic wrap against the top of the sauce before sealing to reduce oxidation, the pesky duller of colorful fresh foods. Even if you don't have basil growing in the garden that you can grab for a quick preparation, blanching still works its magic on less fresh bunches of the herb.
Best Garden Fresh Basil Pesto Makes 2 cups
Ingredients
2 cups fresh basil leaves (no stems)
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 large cloves garlic
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Directions
Lightly toast pine nuts in a dry skillet for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from pan and cool while you blanch the basil and garlic.
Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan with water to a boil. Toss in basil leaves and whole garlic cloves, and blanch for 30 seconds. Drain and immediately add the basil and garlic to a large bowl of ice water for 1 minute.
Drain and squeeze as much water as possible from the basil before tossing into the food processor bowl with blanched garlic and toasted pine nuts. Process until very finely minced.
Now, keep the machine running on low, and slowly add the olive oil to mixture, processing until smooth. (Most food processor tops have a small hole in the bottom of the pusher, so you can pour in the oil there and allow it dribble safely into the bowl while the machine runs.)
Add the Parmesan cheese and pulse until combined. You can divide and use some immediately and freeze the remaining portion for up to 6 months.