Rustic Hand-chopped Pesto
 
Prep time
Total time
 
Every flavor of pesto gets a chance to shine in this hand-chopped version.
Category: Sauces & Condiments
Yield: About a fist-sized pesto ball. Will generously coat at least a 1 lb box of pasta
Ingredients
  • 1 large bunch (about 2.5-3 oz) basil, stems removed
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • ¼ cup pine nuts (you can substitute walnuts)
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (not pre-shredded or grated)
  • 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
  1. Begin mincing the garlic. When most of the garlic is roughly chopped, add about a third of the basil leaves and continue chopping. Add the rest of the basil and chop.
  2. When the basil and garlic are finely (and finally!) minced, add about half of the pine nuts and continue chopping. Add the rest of the pine nuts and - guess what! - continue chopping.
  3. Add half the parmesan cheese and keep on chopping, then add the rest of the cheese and lather, rinse, repeat. All told, you'll probably spend about 20 minutes chopping. Feel free to let your mind wander, but don't let it wander so far that you chop off a finger. That is not one of the five ingredients.
  4. When the mixture is chopped so finely that you can begin to push it all together, pack it tightly into a ball or patty and transfer to a bowl or airtight container (if not using right away). Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and set aside/refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
This will keep for several days in the fridge, tightly covered. To use, simply add a bit more olive oil and stir to break up the ball and incorporate. Serve on pasta, in lasagna, on sandwiches, or anywhere else you'd use a standard (non-rustic!) pesto. If using in pasta, be sure to salt your pasta water and reserve a bit to thin out the pesto if necessary.
Recipe by Baked In at https://www.baked-in.com/2012/03/22/rustic-hand-chopped-pesto/