It’s a pretty simple recipe for today
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think I’m too posh for shop bought jarred pesto, but sometimes there’s just nothing better than the real deal.
Either make this in bulk and keep it in the fridge or just whip up a bowl and use it straight away (I haven’t tried storing it so can’t guarantee what’d happen but you’ll never know if you don’t try!)
I always try to have a basil plant in the house as I use it so often cooking, although winter in the North has been bitter and cruel to my poor basil, so I made this pesto using the last leaves before it died.
Most pesto (shop-bought and most pesto recipes) contain parmesan or a similar cheese – which isn’t even vegetarian let alone vegan!
So this recipe packs in all the flavour of your standard pesto but is totally vegan, totally fresh and beautiful.
I find pine nuts extortionately expensive, so you can use them if you want, but I use pistachio nuts which are considerably cheaper and I love the taste!
I mixed this with pasta (but was too hungry and ate it before I could take a photo, bad blogger!), but you could try it in sandwiches, burgers, drizzled over salad, with chicken… the list is endless
Ingredients:
Handful or two basil leaves
Handful spinach/rocket (optional – good if you want to bulk the recipe out!)
Large drizzle extra virgin olive oil
Handful pistachio nuts (de-shelled)
Squeeze of lemon juice
1 clove garlic
Pinch salt
Pinch pepper
Method:
- Chop up the pistachio nuts fairly small, and toast in a dry frying pan
- Grab your blender
- Throw in all the ingredients
- Whizz around until pesto-like in consistency (come on, I don’t need to spell it out for you do I?!)
- Tadaaaaa
Let me know if you try this recipe and send me photos! (Tag me on instagram – @catunwin)