This hard-to-beat recipe is great to make with friends and freeze in ice cube trays for future meals.
Recipe source:
Cooking With Friends Kitchen
Ingredients
4 oz. fresh basil, washed thoroughly, stems discarded
1 cup flat leaf parsley, washed thoroughly, stems discarded
3/4 cup toasted pine nuts
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons olive oil for sauteeing
9 large garlic cloves
2/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
½ tsp. Kosher salt
2 ounces of water for blending
Directions
Toast pine nuts until golden (approximately 6 minutes in toaster oven on 375 degrees) shaking pan occasionally. Pick out any nuts that have turned a darker shade of brown. Wash basil and parsley thoroughly, chop and set aside. Peel garlic cloves, chop in thirds and saute in 2 tablespoons olive oil for approximately 2 minutes. Remove from pan quickly before browning.
In a blender, gradually add basil, parsley, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, cheese and Kosher salt. Add water one ounce at a time to help blend the ingredients. Pesto is finished when the consistency is smooth and creamy and the color turns to a lighter green. Transfer to ice cube trays and freeze.