Pesto

Time: 5-10 minutes

Inspired by: Rikke’s vegetarian lasagna with homemade pasta and a layer of pesto! This was the most amazing lasagna so when I tried to come up with a lasanga recipe that would be similar, I wanted to make my own pesto oil and concocted the below. Now I use this on pasta and in veggie dips. It’s so easy.

Ingredients:

• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 large bunches fresh basil leaves (approximately 3 cups lightly chopped leaves)
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ – 1 teaspoon of salt (to taste)
• 2-4 tablespoons parmesan (optional)
• pine nuts (traditional pesto has some pine nuts, but I prefer to leave them out)

Preparation: Blend all ingredients well in a food processor.

Serve with: Awesome on pasta. I use this in my grilled vegetable lasagna and white bean pesto dip.

Wine suggestions: I have heard that pesto can be a good pairing with Cabernet Sauvignon. I can see how that might be true with a pretty rich dish that uses a lot of pesto.