The Realtors Pesto Recipes

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.

MIXED GREENS PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Cook onion and mixed greens and herbs in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 2 minutes. Using a spider or tongs, transfer to a bowl of ice water and swish around in the water to cool down as quickly as possible (this helps retain the bright color). Drain and gently squeeze to remove excess liquid, then press between a double layer of paper towels to remove as much remaining liquid as possible. Reserve pot with greens cooking liquid.
• Process 1/4 cup sesame seeds in a food processor until finely ground. Add onion and greens mixture and 1/4 cup ricotta salata and process until a coarse paste forms. With motor running, stream in 3 Tbsp. oil and process, adding water by the tablespoonful if needed to thin, until pesto is very smooth.
• Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add pesto and cook, stirring, until sauce looks like most of the moisture has been cooked out, about 1 minute.
• Meanwhile, bring reserved pot of greens cooking liquid to a boil and cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 3 minutes less than package directions.
• Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with pesto and add 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook, tossing, until each strand of pasta is coated. Remove from heat, add butter, and toss to combine.
• Divide pasta among bowls. Top with more sesame seeds and remaining 1/4 cup ricotta salata and drizzle with oil.

THE BEST CLASSIC PESTO

Steps:

• Pulse basil and garlic in a food processor about 8 times until finely chopped. Add toasted pine nuts and salt; turn processor on low and drizzle olive oil through the chute until everything is incorporated. Add Parmesan cheese and lemon juice; pulse 2 times.

THE REALTOR'S PESTO

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in food processor bowl and process using metal blade until finely chopped but not mushy.
• Spoon into jar and cover with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent the mixture from darkening.
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours so flavors can blend or up to 2 weeks.
• To freeze, put tablespoonfuls of the pesto mixture into ice cube trays. freeze and pop them out as needed. I keep the whole ice cube tray in a big ziploc bag to keep the pesto cubes fresh. You could pop them out and store them in the bag without the tray but I've found that they stick together too much.
• I use about 1/3 of a cup or so per pound of pasta and 1 or 2 cubes per 1lb of roasted or steamed veggies.