In a food processor, blend together the garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and salt and Parmesan into an oily sauce.
Add in the basil, stalks and all, and blend again until it is all incorporated.
You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times to achieve this.
To use it fresh, add one tablespoon per serving to your cooked pasta, sandwich or other meal. If you wish to freeze it, keep reading…
You can either pack the fresh pesto into ice cubes trays, or lay out scoops of it on baking trays like I did.
If you choose the latter, place a piece of baking paper onto a baking sheet.
Using a tablespoon, measure out portions and place them onto the baking paper an inch to two apart. Try to keep the pesto in little heaps, so that they stick together once frozen.
Place the Pesto into the freezer for a minimum of two hours, or preferably overnight.
Once frozen solid, each little pesto blob can be removed from teh baking paper and stored in a Tupperware tub or freezer bag.
Whenever you wish to use the pesto, simply remove as many ‘blobs’ as you like, remembering that one blob = one serving.
Let thaw at room temperature for an hour or two, or overnight in the fridge.
Please enjoy my recipe! Jane | hedgecombers.com