Basil is my favourite fresh herb. Apparently, in the Mediterranean it is used to ward off mosquitos. Me, i love the smell, especially when it is unwashed. Pesto is used in many italian dishes or simply as an accompaniment to fresh bread. Simply delicious.

You can make pesto using a pestle and mortar or a food processor. I let you guess which is faster. The choice should depend on your preference of consistancy because the food processor will produce a finer texture pesto than the manual method. This recipe uses a blender, although there is no difference in ingredients and not much difference in method.

Ingredients (makes 1 cup)

Preparation

Grate 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and chop the garlic. Add the cheese, basil leaves, pine nuts and garlic to your food processor and pulse for a few seconds. Stop and push the ingredients down if necessary. Start adding olive oil slowly and blend until the mixture has the requred texture according to your preference. Add salt and pepper.

The mixture will settle slowly and quite a bit of oil will float to the surface. The oil will help preserve the pesto and if its stored in an air-tight container will keep for several weeks.

If you want to use a pestle and mortar, add first the pine nuts and grind to a pulp. Then add the garlic and do the same. Finally, starting adding the basil leaves grinding as you go. When you have a consistent mash, add the cheese and then slowly add olive oil until it is all used up. Add salt and pepper to taste. This produces a courser consistency and the smells are almost overpowering.