Pesto

[Michael]

Making lots of this stuff at the moment..great with pasta (I add mushrooms/cougettes/bacon or just by itself. I particuarly like it with the Barilla 'Bavette' no. 13 but it works with owt.... nice with fish too, (wrap some prosciutto around some fish steaks coated with pesto and bake in oven)Can also be added to soups or used as a dip..good with cheeses..particuarly the Dutch ones.

Ingredients:
1 very lge handful of fresh basil
1 Ounce pine kernals
1 Ounce grated Parmesan/Pecorino cheese or a mixture
2 Ounce good olive oil
1/2 clove of chopped garlic
1/2 Teaspoon salt Directions:

Ideally one should pound the basil with a little salt in a pestle and mortar add the cheese then add the olive oil little by little until it is amalgamated with the other ingredients and the consistency resembles that of creamed butter. I just wizz everything up in a food processor.

If made in larger quantities store it in jars covered with a layer of olive oil.

[Ralph]

I love fine pesto. Thanks for the recipe which I'll add to my others.

[Michael]

Just been thinking abut this and I tend to add rather more olive oil than I suggested.... enjoy

[Corlyss_D]

Thanks, Michael. You've been missed!

[miranda]

I love pesto. Pesto lasagna is delicious; so is pesto pizza, with sliced tomatoes on top.

Pesto Lasagna

* 1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
* 7 ounces basil pesto
* 30 ounces ricotta cheese
* 1 egg
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
* 9 ounces Alfredo-style pasta sauce
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lasagna and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
3. In large skillet over medium heat, saute onion in the olive oil until tender. Add spinach and stir. Remove from heat and stir in the pesto. In a large bowl mix ricotta cheese, egg, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
4. In a 3 quart greased baking dish, layer the noodles then the spinach mixture, followed by the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Repeat the layers ending with noodles on top. Spread the Alfredo sauce over the top and sprinkle with parmesan.
5. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes.

[Michael]

Nice recipe Miranda.... not sure what 'Alfredo style' pasta sauce is tho?

[jbuck919]

Nice recipe Miranda.... not sure what 'Alfredo style' pasta sauce is tho?

The Wikipedia has a good article on it. One of those things like Cesar Salad that were named after the inventor, but which in modern versions usually deviate from the original in one or more ways.

I've made pesto with a recipe much like yours. I like to make the pasta with strips of chicken breast or veal scallopini or bay scallops or even salad shrimp because, well, I like meat in my pasta. and living alone I don't make multiple course meals for myself. That and a salad are a perfect meal.

[BWV 1080]

The key thing IMO is to use good cheese, i.e. real italian parmigiano reggiano rather than Kraft or some other lower quality brand

[jbuck919]

The key thing IMO is to use good cheese, i.e. real italian parmigiano reggiano rather than Kraft or some other lower quality brand

Of course, and I would not have used the extreme example of Kraft, which produces as far as I know nothing but processed cheese food. Only use a true Italian pecorino (usually you can only find the Romano kind), which can be found at a reasonable price in the US, or Parmiggiano Reggiano, which is more expensive but worth it, that you have grated yourself a la minute.

[Michael]

Absolutely... only Reggiano will do.