Pistachio Basil Pesto

Pesto is one of the most popular sauces in Italian cuisine, and also the most popular in my house. That’s why I always have Pistachio Pesto at hand. It goes with everything you want, and I mean everything, trust me, from an elegant sandwich spread with a hint of mayonnaise, or a cocktail party spread with whipped cream cheese, to a simple and fancy risotto, bruschetta or pasta. Just name it and you will come out with an idea to incorporate pesto to your daily diet.

Originally prepared with fresh basil, pine nuts, grated parmesan, garlic and olive oil pounded together. Pesto has it’s origins from Liguria, a small region in the northwest of Italy where Genoa is the capital, and the basil is famous for its unique sweetness, mild flavor and seductive fragrance.

History tells us that Pesto gets its name from the way it is traditionally prepared, with a mortar and pestle (mortaio e pestello). Ingredients are always similar, but they vary in proportions making some sauces tangier or sweeter than others. In my Pistachio Basil Pesto both worlds meet. The elegant nutty taste of the salted pistachios balances the flavors, to accomplish the perfect amount of tanginess and sweetness that you can’t describe with words.

Let’s put it this way, I know you’ll love pesto from now on, if you didn’t love it already. And if you already did, you will fall in love with this pistachio basil pesto recipe. It’s easy, healthy and exquisite.

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup salted pistachios.

4 garlic cloves, chopped

½ tsp kosher salt

¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper

3 packed cups of fresh basil leaves

¾ cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano

1 cup of olive oil

Place the pistachios, garlic, kosher salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Process for 40 seconds or until you see the ingredients are finely ground. Add the basil leaves and the parmesan cheese. With the processor running slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl until you get a smooth pesto.

You can serve the pesto immediately, or store it in the refrigerator or freezer adding a thin coat of olive oil on top.