FEEDS: 4-6

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 1 C. fresh basil leaves
• 3 cloves sliced, fresh garlic
• 1/2 C. grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 C. olive oil

LET'S COOK

Stuff the basil leaves in the bottom of a food processor. Place the garlic on that, then the parmesan cheese. Drizzle with the olive oil. Cover and pulse until the contents are an evenly mixed, thick green paste.

Boil a pound of any shape of pasta you enjoy, drain it when the pasta is el dente, return the cooked, hot pasta back into the pot it was cooked in, add the pesto and stir to evenly combine the two together. Serve right away.

MORE IDEAS:

If you have a bumper crop of fresh basil, make this recipe, fill an ice cube tray with the pesto and freeze it overnight. The next day, pop the cubes into a zip style bag and keep them in the freezer.

When you make tomato sauce, add a cube or two of the pesto. Also add pesto to a vegetable soup for wonderful flavor enhancement.

This pasta and pesto dish is also quite good cold served on a buffet or with a sandwich as a side dish.