Perfect Pesto Recipe

My amazing chef husband gave me permission to share this recipe in celebration of spring - yay! Now, you can wow your guests with this gorgeous sauce. Oh man, I can’t wait for all of my basil plants to grow so we can make loads of pesto this summer. Fresh basil = absolutely one of the best smells ever.

Perfect Pesto

courtesy of The Korean Farmer

2 cups fresh basil, packed

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano (this is authentic parmesan cheese made in Italy, found at all normal grocery stores)

1/4 cup neutral-tasting oil, such as grapeseed oil

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup blanched almonds, toasted (in a pinch, you can use regular almonds, but blanched is best)

Add all ingredients except olive oil to a food processor and process. Add a little water if you need to make it smoother. Remove from food processor and stir in olive oil.

To toss with pasta (even better, with fresh pasta!), add pesto an empty bowl, then the pasta. Add a couple ounces of leftover pasta cooking water. Toss until glossy.

~ ~ ~

I took this photo on our back patio in Dallas, TX a few years ago before we moved to Tennessee, and I swear I can smell the vinegary salad dressing on those locally-grown veggies and the fresh green of pungent pesto through the photo. But there’s another story being told - like that of the cherished Polish pottery bowl given to me by Steven’s Gran on our first North Carolina road trip. And the feel of eating outside on a spring evening with friends and wine atop the tablecloth I scored at an outdoor market in India 15 years ago.

We’re not looking for perfection here, we’re looking for connection.