I've been spending a lot of time in my veggie patch. Getting in touch with nature & watching the beauty of the beds grow & change with the sun & rain is my kind of self care. It's a peaceful process & a gentle reminder of how incredible mother nature really is.
My veggie patch at the Tiny Farm has been laden with Basil recently, so much that I needed a recipe to capture all that goodness! Here's my simple, yet incredibly delish, Homegrown Basil Pesto recipe.
PS - the team loved this recipe sooo much we recreated it at our last photo shoot & had it for lunch & dinner! And may have all taken some home too : )
Ingredients
Bunches of basil
Parmesan cheese (or vegan cheese equivalent)
Pine nuts
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Method
1. Thoroughly wash your basil if store bought (Vege Bar is ideal) and pat dry with a towel.
2. Roast the pine nuts in a pan - careful, these can burn easily! Set aside to cool (the crack and pop is such an interesting sound).
3. Grate the cheese (or skip this step if you have a heavy duty blender & just just cheese into chunks).
4. Add the dried basil, a good glug of olive oil, cheese, salt & pepper into a mixed for a few seconds. Whiz until you have your preferred consistency. Taste and add more seasoning if you like.
5. Place the pesto into some airtight jars (we used our Wategos Glass Pantry Jars in 450ml but Glass Container - Round is also a great option) & cover with some extra oil at the top
5. Place in the fridge (or freezer) & top on your favourite pasta & pizza or add to quiches & muffins for school lunches. Pesto Pasta is a great mid week meal idea - even better for lunches the next day!