Fresh Pesto - Without a Blender

If my Italian grandmother saw how I used to make Pesto, she'd probably wave a rolling pin at me! You see, like many people, I used to throw a bunch of basil leaves in a blender with some garlic and a few pine nuts, and then drizzle in some olive oil, all while blending and emulsifying to my heart's content.

There wasn't much wrong with this pesto. It was Fine. Easy. Plain. Most of all it was homogenous. This really isn't the way that most of Italy makes pesto. True pesto should not be blended, it should be crushed. You can make it with a mortar and pestle as they do in Italy, or you can use a chef's knife and finely chop the basil. Either way, the texture and flavor are very different from blended pesto.

This was my first attempt to make pesto without a blender and I admit, I wimped out at using the mortar and pestle. I stuffed a reusable bag full of fresh basil from the local farmers market booth (Growing Washington to be exact) and picked up some nice garlic from Anselmo Farms. After that I was on my way.

Fresh Pesto Without a Blender

• A bag of fresh, organic basil
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Pine Nuts
• Parmesan cheese (a block, not the cheap pre-grated stuff)

1. Get a large cutting board and lay out your basil. DON'T WASH IT! Fresh, organic basil will turn black and slimy if you wash it. Gently spin it in a salad spinner to remove any dust or dirt. Remove any large stems.
2. Use a chef's knife and chop the basil. You can do this with a rocking motion back and forth. This isn't the easiest skill to muster, but once you've got it, you've really got it. I reduced this big pile of basil to chopped in less than 7 minutes.
3. Set the basil aside and repeat the process for anywhere from 2 to 5 cloves of garlic depending on size and taste preference.
4. Chop a good handful of pine nuts (Note: These are optional).
5. Mix all of the chopped ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
6. Add olive oil. The amount is very personal, but I probably added a good quarter cup or more for 3 cups of basil leaves.
7. Using a microplane grater, grate the Parmesan cheese into the bowl, mixing as you go.
8. Throw in some sea salt to taste.
9. Serve as a topping for bread or crackers or over pasta.

Patricia's Notes: I really enjoyed this basil. Having the minced leaves be differing sizes really gave the pasta an authentic look. Taste the pesto after you mix it up. Some basil varieties have a subtle sweetness to them. Mine did not. Since I was craving that sweetness, I mixed in about a teaspoon of sugar right at the end and felt that really added to the flavor. Next time, I'll also add some crushed red pepper for a little heat.