Recipe: 26 Pesto Recipes

CLASSIC BASIL PESTO
2 c. fresh basil leaves
2 lg. garlic cloves
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 c. pine nuts or walnuts
1/2 c. olive oil
Salt & freshly ground pepper
WHITE CLAM SAUCE WITH PESTO:
1 lb. fresh or frozen chopped clams (with juices)
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. butter
1-2 cloves garlic
1/4 c. minced onion
2 tbsp. fresh parsley or 1 tbsp. dried
1/4-1/2 c. basil pesto, depending on taste
1/4 c. water or white wine or clam broth
1 lb. cooked linguine
Combine the basil, garlic, cheeses and nuts in a food processor or blender. Process to mix. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper and process to the desired consistency. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Makes about 1 cup. Pesto has many uses such as pasta sauce, topping for fish or chicken, or simply spread on a good, crusty Italian bread. In large saucepan heat olive oil and butter over medium low heat. When butter is melted add minced onion, crushed garlic and parsley. Saute for 2-3 minutes then add pesto, clams and water. Cook until clams are heated through. The entire cooking process should not take more than 10 minutes. Serve over hot pasta with lots of freshly grated cheese. Serves 4.

PESTO
4 c. fresh basil leaves or half basil & half parsley
5-6 med. cloves garlic
2 c. nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts or pinenuts)
2 c. olive oil
2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
Put basil leaves, garlic and nuts in bowl of food processor. Process until finely chopped. With machine running, slowly pour in the olive oil. With a spoon stir in the cheese, salt and pepper. Store in jars, in freezer. To use, scrape off frozen pesto. Return jar to freezer or thaw and store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

LISA'S GARDEN PESTO

3 c. fresh basil (tightly packed),
gently rinsed and dried (experiment with various kinds of basil)
4 to 6 cloves of garlic
1/2 c. pine nuts (or walnuts or pecans)
1/2 to 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 to 3 tbsp. freshly grated Romano cheese
1/2 c. olive oil
--LISA'S ROASTED PEPPERS--
Grind basil and garlic. Add nuts and cheeses, then slowly add the olive oil. Blend to the desired consistency, adding more olive oil if desired. Spoon into small jars and seal with melted butter. Try substituting cinnamon basil and pecans or walnuts.) Yields approximately 2 cups. Freeze half if desired. Place red bell pepper strips, skin side up, on a foil lined baking sheet in a preheated oven about 2 inches from top broiler coils. Cook until evenly blistered. After roasting, place the chilies in a damp dish towel and leave them to steam for about 15 minutes. peel by removing the charred skin. Do not rinse under water, as this will wash away the flavor. The chilies may be frozen in their charred skins, which are easily peeled when thawed.

PESTO
3/4 c. almonds or pine nuts
2 c. packed fresh or frozen basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3/4 c. Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, peeled & quartered
1/2 c. olive oil
In blender or food processor, process first 6 ingredients. Just until smooth. Gradually pour in oil, continue to process slightly. This can be served on pasta.

PESTO STUFFED MUSHROOMS
Pesto sauce
Shredded Mozzarella
Mushrooms
3 tbsp. Parmesan
Mix equal amounts pesto and Mozzarella. Stuff mushrooms. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees until cheese is melted.

PESTO PINWHEELS
1 sheet Pepperidge Farm frozen Puff Pastry
1/3 c. pesto sauce (store-bought or homemade)
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg beaten with 1 tsp. water
Thaw puff pastry 20 minutes. Unfold and roll on a lightly floured surface to a 14x11 inch rectangle. Spread evenly with pesto sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Starting at long edge, roll up pastry like a jelly roll. Cut pastry roll crosswise into 3/8 inch thick slices. Place on lightly greased baking sheet and brush with egg mixture. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and serve while warm. Makes about 35 pinwheels. Variation: Substitute store-bought honey-mustard for pesto and Parmesan cheese; assemble and bake as directed.

BRIE WITH PESTO
1 brie wheel
Pesto sauce, homemade or purchased
2 to 4 slices proscuitto ham
Sun dried tomatoes, softened
Cut Brie Wheel in half, so there are 2 full wheels. Spread pesto on both cut surfaces. Cut up sun dried tomatoes and put on bottom half of wheel. Lay top half back on. Spread top with pesto. Arrange cut up proscuitto on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until softened. Serve on sliced bagettes.

PESTO CHEESECAKE
1 tbsp. butter, softened
1/4 c. fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 c. ricotta cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 eggs
1/2 c. pesto sauce
1/4 c. pine nuts
Crackers
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan with 1 tablespoon butter.
2. Mix bread crumbs and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Coat pan with mixture.
3. Using an electric mixer, mix cream cheese, ricotta, remaining Parmesan, salt and cayenne until light. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after reach.
4. Transfer half of the mixture to another bowl. Mix pesto sauce into remaining half.
5. Pour pesto mixture into prepared pan, smoothing top. Gently spoon plain mixture on top, again carefully smoothing it out. Sprinkle with pine nuts.
6. Bake about 45 minutes, until center no longer seems liquid. Cool completely on a rack. Cover well and refrigerate overnight. Release pan from cheesecake and serve with crackers.

LAYERED CHEESE TORTA WITH PESTO
1 1/2 lbs. each cream cheese and
unsalted butter (do not substitute margarine), softened
Pesto filling (recipe follows)
Basil sprig
Thinly sliced French bread
Crisp raw vegetables
--PESTO FILLING:--
With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until very smoothly blended, scraping mixture from sides of bowl as needed. Prepare Pesto Filling; set aside. Cut two 18-inch squares of cheesecloth (or an 18-inch square of unbleached muslin); moisten with water, wring dry, and lay out flat, one on top of the other. Use cloth to smoothly line a 10-cup straight-sided plain mold such as a tall brioche or charlotte pan, a loaf pan, or a clean flowerpot. Drape excess cloth over rim of mold. With your fingers or a rubber spatula, spread an eighth of the cheese mixture in the prepared mold. Cover with a seventh of the filling, extending it evenly to sides of mold. Repeat until mold is filled, finishing with cheese. Fold ends of cloth over top and press down lightly with your hands to compact. Refrigerate until torta feels firm when pressed (1 to 1 1/2 hours), then invert onto a serving dish and gently pull off cloth. (If allowed to stand longer, cloth will act as a wick and cause filling color to bleed onto cheese). If made ahead, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Garnish with basil sprig and offer with bread and vegetables. Makes 20-25 servings. In a blender or food processor, whirl to a paste 3 1/4 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves, 1 1/2 cups (4 1/2 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, and 1/2 cup olive oil. Stir in 6 tablespoons (2-ounce package) pine nuts and season to taste with salt and pepper. NOTE: Prepackaged pesto sauce may be used.

PESTO PIZZA
1 1/2 c. packed fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1/4 oz.)
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp. nonfat yogurt
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 recipe Pizza Dough
Cornmeal for dusting pizza peel
4 c. sliced ripe plum tomatoes (8 tomatoes)
In a food processor or blender, combine basil, cheese, olive oil and garlic. Process until well blended. Add yogurt and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (Pesto topping can be prepared ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.) Place a pizza stone, baking tiles or an inverted baking sheet on the lowest rack of the oven. Preheat oven to 500 degrees or the highest setting. Divide pizza dough into 8 pieces. Using your fists, stretch 1 piece into a 6-inch round. Alternatively, with a rolling pin, roll out on a lightly floured surface. (Keep remaining dough covered with a towel or plastic wrap as you work.) Place the round on a cornmeal- dusted pizza peel or inverted baking sheet, using enough cornmeal so that the dough slides easily. Stretch or roll a second round of dough and place beside the first. Spread 1 tablespoon pesto on each round of dough. Arrange 1/2 cup sliced tomatoes over top of each one. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Carefully slide the pizzas from the peel or baking sheet onto the heated pizza stone, baking tiles or baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until the bottoms are crisp and browned. Working with 2 pizzas at a time, repeat with the remaining dough and topping. Makes 8 (6 inch) pizzas.

PESTO BISCUITS
2 c. all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. buttermilk powder or nonfat dry milk powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. butter-flavored shortening or reg. shortening
2 tbsp. homemade or purchased pesto
2/3 c. water
In a large bowl stir together flour, buttermilk or milk powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With a pastry cutter, cut in shortening and pesto until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center; add water all at once. Stir just until dough clings together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently for 10 to 12 strokes. Roll or pat to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter, dipping cutter into flour between cuts. Place biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Makes 10 to 12 biscuits.

PESTO SAUCE
2 c. fresh basil (tough stems removed, loosely packed)
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. Pignoli nuts (pine nuts)
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. grated Romano cheese
1/2 c. olive oil
3 tbsp. softened butter
2 c. fresh parsley
Food Processor: chop garlic and nuts roughly. Add basil and parsley and process. Add oil slowly while processing. Add butter and keep processing until smooth and creamy. Add cheese and beat by hand until smooth. Serve with Angel hair pasta (Capellini) cooked al dente. If you want to freeze this do not add cheese serve it on the side, put a small layer of olive oil on top of container and freeze.

PESTO SAUCE
2 c. fresh basil
1 c. fresh parsley
1/2 c. fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. grated Romano cheese
1 tbsp. pine nuts
2 garlic cloves
3 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. good olive oil
Place all ingredients in the blender and whirl into a smooth paste. Serve in muffins, on pasta, on toasted Italian bread.

PESTO SAUCE
2 c. fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
4 cloves garlic
1/2 c. nuts (pignolia, walnuts, or pistachio)
1/2 to 1 c. olive oil, depending on taste
1 c. grated or piccuno cheese (use less if don't want strong cheese taste)
Put basil, garlic, and nuts in container of blender or cuisinant. Blend. Gradually add oil blending at low speed. Add cheese after paste is formed. (If freezing add cheese after paste is defrosted.) When adding to spaghetti pat 3 tablespoons of hot spaghetti liquid to the paste to soften it. Do not heat pesto except for the liquid.

BASIC PESTO SAUCE
2 c. fresh basil
1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. pine nuts
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. Romano cheese
3 tbsp. butter at room temperature
1 1/2 lbs. Pasta
Place basil, oil, nuts, garlic, salt and pepper in blender. Puree until evenly mixed. Using rubber spatula, scrape into bowl. Blend into the cheeses, then beat in butter. Before serving, add 1 to 2 tablespoons hot water to pesto. Spoon over cooked pasta. Toss to coat and serve. NOTE: Eliminate the salt, you'll never miss it. Also use pasta from refrigerator case if you can. It's so much better.

PESTO SAUCE
1 stick butter, cut into little pieces
5-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Black pepper to taste
3 bunches fresh basil leaves, processed fine
3/4 c. olive oil
1/3 c. walnuts, chopped
1/3 c. pignoli nuts, chopped
1/4 lb. locatelli cheese
1/4 lb. pecorino cheese
1/4 c. heavy cream
3 tbsp. cream cheese
Grind basil in processor, then add garlic and nuts. Process thoroughly. Add black pepper and butter; process. Blend in all the cheese and start adding the olive oil. Blend thoroughly and place in containers. When ready to serve, heat (do not boil) and add more cream to make a sauce.

470 PESTO SAUCE
1 c. olive oil
3 tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic
10 blanched walnuts halves
10 blanched almond halves
1 tbsp. pine nuts
1/2 c. Romano cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 c. fresh Italian parsley
2 c. fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
Starting with olive oil, place all ingredients in order listed in blender. Blend well. Pour sauce over 1 pound of cooked spaghetti; toss well.

PESTO SAUCE

To as many fresh basil leaves as you can press into one cup, add: 2/3 c. grated cheese (Parmesan) Put the above in a food processor and mix well, add 1/2 cup of olive oil. The sunflower seeds are not salted, add a little salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic. Blend until well mixed and chopped well. Serve over wide pasta or noodles with extra grated cheese, to add at the table. Walnuts or pecans can be substituted for sunflower seeds, but are very rich. This is enough for one pound of pasta or 4 to 6 servings. This sauce freezes very well.

PESTO BROILED FLOUNDER
2 tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
4 (6 oz.) flounder fillets
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. fresh pesto
Line a shallow baking pan with aluminum foil; lightly brush foil with small amount of butter. Arrange fillets in prepared pan. Brush fish with remaining butter. Sprinkle lightly with lemon juice and spread with pesto. Broil 5" from heat for 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Yield: 4 servings. Recipes for pesto to accompany this dish may be found in the Potpourri section of this book.

PRESTO PESTO GRILLED SALMON
2-4 salmon fillets or steaks
1 (6 oz.) jar Pesto sauce
1-2 pkgs. fresh fettuccine
1/2 - 1 c. chopped, seeded tomato
2-4 tbsp. margarine
2-4 tbsp. chopped fresh chives (or 1 tbsp. dried)
1 tsp. grated lemon rind or dried lemon and pepper seasoning to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Brush both sides of salmon with Pesto sauce. Grill or broil until done (4-5 minutes per side on grill until fish flakes when tested with a fork). Cook fettuccine according to package. Toss with tomato, margarine, chives, and lemon rind. Season to taste and keep warm. Heat remaining Pesto sauce and pour over fettuccine and toss. Serves 2-4.
C
PESTO, PASTA, POTATOES, PARMESAN AND PEAS
4 to 6 sm. red new potatoes, (red new are least starchy, easily digested
1 (6 oz.) or larger pkg. frozen peas or 1/4 to 1/2 lb. string or
stringless green beans
3 green onions, minced
Salt and pepper
1/2 to 1 lb. dried tubular pasta (penne, fusilli, farfalle, orecchiette)
Pesto sauce (see below for ingredients)
Boil or microwave the potatoes in their skins until fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool; then slice thin. Defrost and heat peas in microwave or on stove according to directions, OR trim green beans and boil (about 5 to 10 minutes) or steam (about 10 to 15 minutes) until they are no longer "raw" but still crisp. Drain. Mix the onions with the peas (or beans) and potatoes. Season lightly. Boil the pasta using adequate water, a spoon of salt and a dab of oil. Drain and toss the pasta, potatoes, beans and onions with the pesto. Serve with a bowl of grated Parmesan cheese. Vary to serve 2 to 6. Make the pesto by pureeing all the following sauce ingredients in a blender or processor (Add water and oil gradually). 1/2 c. packed fresh basil leaves 1/4 toasted walnuts or pine nuts 2 tbsp. (up to 1/3 c. for cheesier taste) grated Parmesan cheese 1 to 2 cloves garlic 3/4 to 1 c. low-salt chicken broth, or use water from green beans and increase Parmesan cheese 1/4 c. olive oil

MEDITERRANEAN PESTO
WATERCRESS AND BASIL:
1 c. basil
1 c. watercress leaves
2 cloves garlic
3 tbsp. Parmesan
1/2 c. pine nuts
1/3 c. + 1 tbsp. olive oil
SAGE PESTO:
1/2 c. fresh sage leaves
1 1/2 c. fresh parsley
1/2 c. grated Parmesan
2 lg. cloves garlic
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 c. pine nuts or walnuts
ROSEMARY PESTO:OREGANO PESTO:SAVORY PESTO:TARRAGON:THYME PESTO:BASIL-MINT PESTO:
1 c. fresh mint leaves
1/2 c. olive oil
1 c. fresh basil leaves
2 med. cloves garlic
1/4 c. grated Parmesan
1/4 c. pine nuts (or walnuts)
GARLIC-CHIVE PESTO:
1 c. parsley leaves
1 sm. clove garlic
1/2 c. chopped (spring/young) garlic chives
3 tbsp. walnuts
3 tbsp. grated Parmesan
5-6 tbsp. olive oil
(Allow more time to strip the tiny leaves.) 1/3 c. Parmesan 2 tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves 1 tbsp. fresh summer savory leaves 1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves 1 tbsp. fresh oregano leaves 1 c. fresh parsley 1/2 c. walnuts 1/3 c. + 1 tbsp. olive oil Makes 3/4 cup. May add cream and toss with pasta. Makes about 1 cup. Use about 1/3 cup rosemary leaves instead of sage. Replace sage with 1/2 cup oregano leaves. Replace sage with 1/2 cup savory leaves. Replace sage with 1/2 cup tarragon leaves. Replace sage with 1/2 cup thyme leaves. See basic PESTO instructions. About 1 cup. Makes about 2/3 cup. Each PESTO should follow these steps, just vary the ingredients for different flavors. Somewhat chop the herb leaves (and walnuts if not using pine nuts), then let your blender finish processing all but the oil, until somewhat mixed. SLOWLY add the oil in a slow stream while blender is running. It should turn into a thick paste. Pesto should stand at least 5 minutes before serving. To store (either refrigerate or freeze), keep a thin layer of oil over the surface of the pesto.

PESTO

I have basil plants growing in pots in the garden behind my house. I chop the fresh leaves onto summer tomatoes and every so often I harvest a lot of leaves and make Pesto. With Pesto in the freezer, I can recover the fragrance of summer in my kitchen all winter long. Use it on plain noodles (you'll need about 1 cup for 1/2 pound), or to flavor soups, stews, and salad dressing. For an extraordinary treat, combine it with pasta and new potatoes. 3 cloves garlic 1/2 c. pignoli 1/2 c. Italian parsley 1 tsp. salt 1/2 to 1 c. oil 1/2 c. Pecorino or Parmesan cheese Put the basil, garlic, pignoli, parsley, and salt into the food processor or blender with 1/2 cup oil. Process, adding enough additional oil to make a smooth paste. Add the cheese and process a few seconds longer. Variations: Freezer Pesto: To make Pesto for the freezer. Just process the basil, garlic, parsley, salt, and oil. Freeze it in 1 cup portions. When you are ready to use it, defrost the sauce and put it back into the processor with the nuts and cheese. If you want to use it as a seasoning, you can eliminate the nuts and cheese and simply chip off teaspoonfuls of pureed pesto from the frozen mass. Pesto with Walnuts: Instead of the Pignoli, use 1/2 cup walnuts and omit the cheese. Pesto with Parsley: Instead of basil, use 3 cups Italian parsley for a fresh mid-winter Pesto.

CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH PESTO
3 leeks, white part only
1 lg. cauliflower, separated into florets
1 med. baking potato, peeled and thinly sliced
6 c. low salt chicken stock
Salt and white pepper to taste
1 c. half and half cream (or milk)
1 container store bought pesto sauce
(this can usually be found in the refrigerated pasta section)
1 red pepper julienned (for garnish)
Combine vegetables and stock in a large saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender. Cool slightly. Puree in blender. Season with salt and pepper. Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cool completely and refrigerate. To serve: Gently reheat soup. Add half and half or milk. Ladle into bowls. Swirl 1 1/2 tablespoons of pesto into each bowl and 2 strips of julienned red pepper.

RED PESTO SOUP
1/2 lg. onion
2 carrots, peeled
2 celery stalks
2 med. zucchini
3 med. tomatoes
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 c. water
2 tsp. salt
1 pkg. frozen green banes, thawed
1/4 c. 2 inch pieces spaghetti
1 (15 oz.) kidney beans
Red Pesto (follows)
RED PESTO:
4 oz. Parmesan cheese
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. dried leaf basil
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. tomato paste
Fit the slicing disk into the work bowl. Slice each of the following vegetables separately: onion, carrots, celery, zucchini and tomatoes. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute sliced onion in olive oil until tender. Add water and other sliced vegetables. Bring to a simmer and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Add salt, green beans, spaghetti and kidney beans. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes longer. Prepare Red Pesto. Stir into soup and serve immediately. Sprinkle each serving with remaining chopped cheese. Makes 8 servings. Cut cheese into 1 inch cubes. Fit the steel knife blade into the clean work bowl. Process cheese until chopped into 1/8 inch pieces. Measure 1/4 cup chopped cheese. Set remaining chopped cheese aside. With the steel knife blade still attached, combine garlic, salt, basil, olive oil, tomato paste and 1/4 cup chopped cheese in the work bowl. Process to a smooth paste.