Has anyone made their own pesto?

bobbadog

Hi ageandjo - how long does your pesto keep? Could i plonk it in the fridge for a month and forget about it like I normally do? x

Debt_Free_Chick

bobbadog wrote:

Hi ageandjo - how long does your pesto keep? Could i plonk it in the fridge for a month and forget about it like I normally do? x

Yes. Best to put it in a sterilised container (what you would do for jam or chutney) and then seal it with another glug of olive oil. When you want to use it, pour the excess oil off. Either reserve it to re-seal or use it in the dish e.g. to fry off the garlic/onion mix. I wouldn't let it go much more than a month though ....

Mrs(no)money

ageandjo wrote:

As promised my mums pesto sauce.
You can adjust the ingredients to your tasting but we have a whole bag of pine nuts for a bit of a kick:eek:

large hanfull of basil
whole bag of pine nuts
4 cloves of garlic
handful or fresh parmasan cheese
a good glug of decent olive oil
salt and pepper

Just wizz with a blender then hey pesto (ukkk hummm pardon the pun)

It's yummy hot or cold with pasta and salad with feta cheese:T

I dont want to sound like a paranoid mother so please forgive me if i do!:

This sounds really yummy, but if you cook this for anyone outside of your own family, (especially say your kids friends that come for tea etc), PLEASE can you remember to mention that it contains nuts! Often, people (especially kids) dont realise that simple dishes like pasta and sauce, spag bol etc can contain nuts. We found out the hard way when our nut allergic son was given spag bol with pine nuts in the recipe and was very ill indeed. When he was diagnosed with the allergy it had taken just 2 nuts to almost lose his life.

Thanks for reading this - it could save someone elses life.

Dill

Hi

Does anyone know if you can make pesto with purple basil?
I've only ever made it with the normal basil
I imagine it tastes the same, but just comes out a different colour

Caterina

Yes you answered your own question! I suppose that the only reason people do not use purple basil is because it is usually more expensive and is used more as an ornamental herb on the food than a sauce.

Hope you enjoy it! I only eat home-made pesto and I think that once you have tasted the real thing you can NEVER go back to the shop-bought jar!

Just one more note: pesto was designed to go on PASTA (not pizza, not sandwiches, not salad) - but that's just my opinion!

Caterina

Pink.

Hi Dill,

As Caterina says it will work just as well.

This thread has some recipes for making alternative 'pesto' sauces:

'Pesto' made from seasonal veg not herbs?

and this one has some ideas for using up leftover basil pesto:

Help ideas needed to use up hm pesto


Pink

Dill

Thanks for the replies, think I'll give it a go then!
I much prefer making my own now, too. (Was given a blender for Christmas)
As well as putting it on pasta I sometimes put pesto in focaccia with mozzarella cheese, yum!:D

Gingham_Ribbon

Sometimes I forget that pesto is supposed to be made with basil. I shove anything in it now: spinach, kale, broccoli, chard...I alternate between pine nuts, brazils and walnuts too or even seeds - sunflower work well. So not exactly 'pesto' but variations on the theme! I would love to have a go with purple basil but I've never even seen it never mind tasted it!

Edit: it's nice over slices of mozzarella on baked potatoes too!

Stephen_Leak

Wasn't there a song about it? "One-eyed, one-horned flying purple pesto eater"?

I'lll get my coat.

Mollymop5

Stephen_Leak wrote: »

Wasn't there a song about it? "One-eyed, one-horned flying purple pesto eater"?

I'lll get my coat.

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: