This past Sunday was "pesto making morning". This year I had some beautiful basil...so naturally a freezer full of pesto for the winter is a must have. When my nephew Seth and I went to the Trade Secrets Show in Sharon CT this past spring, we made as usual a beeline to the herb farmer. He has Genovese basil which is the gold standard for making pesto. While all others are okay, Genovese is the best! Seth and I always buy a lot of pots and home we go with pesto dreams on our minds. We also pick other things up but the basil is a must have.
So Sunday morning I gathered all the ingredients and made three batches using The Barefoot Contessa's recipe. I filled the containers almost to the top and then pouedr a thin layer of olive oil over the pesto which creates a barrier from exposing the pesto to the air which prevents oxidation which causes the pesto to darken to the brown color we all have seen...while it doesn't hurt the basil it does make the eye appeal less than desirable. Once I had everything done, tops go on, labels placed and off to the freezer.
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| My mise en place...garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil, pine nuts, walnuts, Parmesan cheese and the star of the show the Genovese basil. |
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| Already for the freezer...YIPPEE!!!!! |
I can't help but look at this bounty and imagine all the things I will be making...pasta with pesto, pizza, salad dressing, garlic basil bread and the list goes on...I will gift a bit of this booty to friend just because!
Elizabeth
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