Traditionally, pesto is made with pine nuts, and a lot less garlic. My version uses pumpkin seeds because they were relatively cheap to get a hold of, and still taste yummy. It has extra garlic to help ward off lecherous vampire teenagers.
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1 bunch basil, blanched and shocked
- 1/2 cup unsalted pumpkin seeds, toasted
- at least 1/2 cup olive oil, more as needed
- salt & pepper to taste
In a food processor, combine ingredients and blend until smooth. Add extra oil, and scrape down sides as needed. When all of the ingredients have been finely minced, transfer the mixture to a saute pan and cook until sizzling, fragrant, and nutty. (About 8 minutes)
You only need a little bit of this for most recipes, so I recommend freezing it in small batches to use later.
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