Greek Pesto Recipes

BRIGHT GREEN PESTO AND ITS MANY USES

Steps:

• Bring a medium-size saucepan full of water to a boil while you rinse basil leaves. Fill a bowl with ice water and place it next to the saucepan with a skimmer close by (a Chinese skimmer is good for this). When water comes to a boil, salt generously and add basil leaves. Push them down into the water with the back of a skimmer to submerge, count to five, then remove immediately with skimmer and transfer to ice water. Drain and squeeze out excess water.
• Place pine nuts or walnuts in a food processor and process until finely ground. Add blanched basil and kosher salt to taste (I use 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon) and process until finely chopped. With machine running, slowly add olive oil and continue to process for a full minute, or until the mix is reduced to a fine purée. Transfer to a bowl. You should have about 1/2 cup of purée .
• When you are ready to use the pesto, purée garlic in a mortar and pestle, or put through a garlic press, and stir into the pesto (or if using a mortar and pestle, add the puréed basil to the mashed garlic in mortar and work garlic and pesto together with pestle). Add Parmesan and stir in. The pesto will condense when you add the cheese, so even though you've added a half-cup of cheese to the purée, you will end up with about 2/3 cup of pesto. Follow the instructions in recipes for thinning out with water.

PESTO

Steps:

• Combine basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and nuts in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Blend to a smooth paste. Add parsley if desired.

BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Combine basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and olive oil in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add garlic, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Pulse until mixture becomes smooth and blended.
• Pour mixture onto a large sheet of plastic wrap; roll into a tube shape and seal. Store in the refrigerator until needed.

CLASSIC PESTO

Steps:

• Heat a small frying pan over a low heat. Cook the pine nuts until golden, shaking occasionally. Put into a food processor with the basil, parmesan, olive oil and garlic cloves. Whizz until smooth, then season to taste.

GREEK PESTO

Steps:

• Peel garlic.
• Drain olives.
• Combine all ingredients in food processor bowl.
• Process till smooth, scraping sides as needed.
• Serve on toasted Italian bread, or other specialty-style bread, or crackers.

GREEK PESTO

Steps:

• 1. In a food processor or blender combine 1/2 cup olive oil, basil, olives, cheese, garlic, and salt. Cover and process until nearly smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as necessary and to add oil as needed to reach desired consistency. Season to taste with pepper. 2. Serve immediately or divide pesto into lA-cup portions in small airtight containers. Refrigerate 1to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months.

GREEK PESTO RICOTTA PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Spread the pesto all over the crust of the pizza. Use extra pesto if desired.
• Drop the ricotta cheese in dollops all over the pizza.
• Sprinkle the mozzarella on top of the ricotta.
• Add the artichokes, sundried tomatoes, and mushrooms.
• Sprinkle the parmesan and walnuts on top.
• Finish with cracked black pepper.
• Bake in oven 10-12 minutes or until the crust is golden and cheese is melted. Cut into slices when it has cooled.