Chef Jacquie Peccina Kelly comes through again. On this week’s Cucina Chatter she told us what to do with all that left over basil in the garden… and it wasn’t one of those “I’ll tell you what you can do wit da basnigole” comments. Chef Jacquie made making pesto sound so easy.
In case you missed it, here’s her recipe:
Pesto
4 cups of packed fresh Basil
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
2 large garlic cloves
½ tsp salt
½ cup olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesean Cheese, grated
In food processor pulse basil, nuts, garlic and salt, slowly add oil in thin stream, add cheese.
Tip: Remove ½ cup of cooking liquid and reserve, just in case the pesto and pasta is too thick
Keep in sealed container for up to 3 months in the refrigerator.
You can use as a spread for the top of crostini (toasted bread slices) or mix it with your favorite macaroni.
Thanks Chef Jacquie!
Mangia & Enjoy!
Pinch off the flower stalks at the end of the season (now) and them dry out for a couple of days inside. After a few days, shake off all the seeds into a little brown bag, they will be brown or black. Put them down the cellar or somewhere dark.
Next spring, plant those seeds and you’ll have your own basnigole plants.
I always freeze lots of leaves for my gravy in the winter.
BASNIGOLE ALL YEAR!!
P.S. Incidentally,I store my garlic bulbs in a brown lunchbag too and keep it in the cabinet with my olive oil etc. Never refrigerate fresh garlic as it compromises it’s integrity.
Mangia!
I think “basnigole” is misspelled ; – ) Of course, the Italian word is “basilico”