It’s that time of year when we have more basil than we will ever be able to consume.  We started off with three plants this year.  One went to seed really quickly, but the other two took off.  It’s been great.

But there comes that moment in time when one realizes that it’s either make pesto or watch it all wilt, wither, and die.  The basil, of course, was cheap.  The pine nuts are anything but.

There’s a shortage of pine nuts.  An actual world-wide shortage.  It’s sent prices skyrocketing; $16.00-$30.00 and more per pound! I bit the bullet and bought some today.  Yes, one can substitute walnuts – and walnuts actually make a pretty good pesto – but Victor is planning a pesto pasta for his next Monday Feast, so nothing but the best, ya know?!?

He made two different pestos tonight – a traditional basil and a sun-dried tomato pesto.  The traditional is from la Cucina Italiana, the sun-dried tomato is his own.

From Victor:

Genevese Pesto

  • 1 ¾ cups packed fresh basil leaves
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • 2 large cloves of peeled garlic
  • 1 ¼ cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino or Parmesan cheese (any GOOD fresh grated cheese)
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil.
  • Salt-Pepper to taste

Now if you are REALLY brave and want to be authentic do the following.

Get your mortar and pestle (yes YOUR mortar and pestle. What do you mean you don’t have one??). Put about ½ of the basil in the mortar. Using the pestle with a rotary movement, grind the basil against the wall of the mortar until mostly ground, then, in batches, repeat with remaining basil until all the leaves are ground.

Working with 1 tablespoon at a time, add and grind pine nuts, then add garlic (thinly sliced) and a generous pinch of salt: grind until garlic is ground.

Working with 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time add and grind cheese.

Working with 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, drizzle in oil, grinding and mixing to incorporate as you go, until the pesto is combined and smooth.

OR……do what I do and place all ingredients in a food processor with the metal blade and pulse until coarsely chopped. Then with the machine running, pour the olive oil slowly down the tube until everything is incorporated and finely minced. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

  • Approx. 8-9 oz. sun dried tomatoes (dry, not in olive oil)
  • 1 cup (packed fresh basil leaves
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cloves of garlic – peeled
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • Salt-Pepper to taste
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Put all the ingredients, except the olive oil, in a food processor with the metal blade and pulse until coarsely chopped. Then with the machine running, pour the olive oil slowly down the tube until everything is incorporated and finely minced. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.

For Penne pasta with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto – cook 1 lb. penne according to package directions. When the pasta is al dente, reserve about a ½ cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta. In a large serving bowl add the pesto and the hot pasta and toss to coat adding just enough of the pasta water to moisten. Serve with extra Parmesan cheese.

We’re eating well around our house!