I apologize, but I can't stop talking about my garden. It is gorgeous and overflowing. And whenever I am out working in my garden, I can't stop the "OMG, I am actually good at this" train of thought in my head. My basil was overflowing, so I had to cut it all down and whip up a batch of pesto. (I also saved a small amount of my basil, in order to make basil cocktails. All for the sake of this blog, of course. See what I do for my readers.)
Pesto
- 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese
Directions
1. Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
2. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
3. If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.
If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese. (I freeze mine in an ice-cube tray.)
The possibilities of pesto are endless.....pasta, pesto grilled cheese, pesto chicken, pesto sandwich spread, and my favorite....pesto pizza!
Pesto Pizza
- pizza crust (cauliflower pizza crust, no knead-focaccia, or store-bought premade crust)
- pesto
- fresh grated mozzarella cheese (you must buy a chunk of mozz and grate it yourself. No pre-shredded, please!)
- sliced tomatoes
1. Prepare your crust.
2. Slather crust with pesto.
3. Top with cheese.
4. Arrange sliced tomatoes.
5. Bake according to the directions based on your crust.
Crust, slathered with pesto. Resist temptation to lick the crust.
Load up with cheese. Shove handfuls of cheese in your mouth and then yell at the minis when they try to do the same.
Layer with gorgeous tomatoes from your garden. Don't have a garden? Go to a farmer's market. Don't put crappy store-bought tomatoes on this pizza.
Bake to perfection.
Now I am a girl that is known for being to pack away the food. Seriously. I could have eaten this entire pizza myself. But, I am a selfless mother that remembers to feed my minis, so I did share. Next time, I'm making two.
