Did someone say Pesto?

Traditional pesto is a thick, green sauce that tastes bright and herby from the basil, and salty and rich from the cheeses and pine nuts. It should be garlicky, with pleasant grassiness from good quality olive oil.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed (can sub half the basil leaves with baby spinach)

• 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan-Reggiano cheese (about 2 ounces)

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/3 cup pine nuts (can sub chopped walnuts)

• 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 3 teaspoons)

• 1/4 teaspoon salt, more to taste

• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste

• Flour

• Butter

• Milk

Method:

1. To make the pesto, combine the basil, cooled nuts/seeds, Parmesan, lemon juice, garlic and salt in a food processor or blender. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue processing until the mixture is well blended but still has some texture, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary.

2. Taste, and adjust if necessary. Add a pinch of salt if the basil tastes too bitter or the pesto needs more zing. Add more Parmesan if you’d like a creamier/cheesier pesto. If desired, you can thin out the pesto with more olive oil. (Consider, however, that if you’re serving the pesto on pasta, you can thin it with small splashes of reserved pasta cooking water to bring it all together. See notes for details.)

3. Store leftover pesto in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week. You can also freeze pesto—my favorite way is in an ice cube try. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag, then you can thaw only as much as you need later.

4. Melt butter in a medium sauce pan, add garlic. Cook for 1 minute over medium heat.

5. Add flour and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly. Add milk and broth, stirring constantly. Add parsley and parmesan cheese.

6. Mix pesto with it and add pasta!