INGREDIENTS

2 cups fresh basil leaves

Pinch of coarse salt

1-2 tsp finely chopped garlic

2 tbsp finely chopped pine nuts or walnuts

1 cup olive oil

½ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

INSTRUCTIONS 

Strip basil leaves from their stems. Place basil, salt, garlic, pine nuts and olive oil  in a food processor or blender. Cover and process until a paste forms, stopping several times to scrape down sides of the food processor/blender. If too thick, thin with additional olive oil. Add cheese and blend briefly. 

Pesto can be stored in an airtight container, covered by a layer of extra virgin olive oil, for a week in the refrigerator or frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, spoon pesto sauce into ice cube trays, and place in the freezer. Once frozen, the pesto cubes can be removed from the trays and placed in a plastic freezer bag.