Another recipe inspired by quickly expiring produce from my friend’s market share! In this case the basil I received had begun to oxidize, so I wanted to use it before it went completely dark and limp. I also used some basil from the plant I am growing on my window sill. I really do not like pignoli (pine nuts), so I decided to make my pesto with almonds, but you can use pignoli and follow the same basic recipe if you’d like.

Mmm, Basil Almond Pesto…

Washin’ my basil

Into the food processor it goes!

Blend it up

The joy of pesto:

• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, washed in a collander
• 1/3 cup olive oil (but have some extra on hand)
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds (or perhaps slightly more)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp salt (possibly more, depending on your taste)

Process the oil, garlic, almonds, salt, and basil leaves. Inspect the texture of the mixture: it should be a bit wet and oily, ready for the cheese. If it’s too dry, add a bit more olive oil. Now add the Parmesan to the processor, and process again until everything is evenly incorporated. If the pesto is too thick, process it again with a tad bit of olive oil. Give it a taste and add some more salt, which you can mix in with a spoon, if needed. That’s it!

This goes well on pasta, salmon, bread… you name it. The recipe makes about 1 cup.