This homemade Lemon Pesto puts store-bought to shame. The stuff in a jar just simply can't hold a candle to fresh pesto. And it comes together in minutes in the bowl of your food processor.
Pesto is usually a combination of basil, garlic, pine nuts, grated cheese, and olive oil. Plain and simple. But for extra brightness and flavor, I prefer to add a bit of lemon zest to my pesto.
I like to make big batches of the sauce and portion into smaller, freezer-friendly containers for fresh pesto on a moment's notice. Just drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top of the pesto to lock in all the freshness while in the freezer.
This Lemon Pesto is just perfect tossed over cheese tortellini or fettucine noodles. But I also love it as an antipasto spread on toasty, garlic crostini or sandwiched in a turkey, mozzarella panini. YUM.
Lemon Pesto
Ingredients
· 2 cups fresh basil leaves
· 2 garlic cloves, chopped
· 3 tbsp pine nuts
· ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
· ½ cup pecorino romano
· Zest of 2 lemons
· Salt & pepper
· 3 tbsp butter, room temperature
Put the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until all ingredients are very finely minced. With the processor on low, stream in the olive oil. Blend in the pecorino cheese and lemon zest. Season to your taste with salt and pepper.
Pour the pesto into a small mixing bowl. Using a whisk, whip the butter into the pesto. Mix until fully combined.
Makes 1 ½ cups
Notes
Toss with your favorite pasta, spread on crostini, dollop over your scrambled eggs – the possibilities are endless with a great homemade pesto.
If freezing, pour the pesto into a small air-tight container. Drizzle a very thin layer of olive oil over the pesto.
Gluten Free Friendly!
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