Pesto can be used as a sauce for pasta dishes but also as a salad dressing. I also use it on toasted half baguettes and as a sauce on fish.
It is very easy to make and is ready in a few minutes.
Ingredients
100g fresh basil
100g pine nuts
120g grated Parmesan
2 cloves garlic, crushed
one teacup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Remove all the stalks from the basil, wash and dry. You must make sure that all the leaves are completely dry, otherwise the pesto will mould.
Heat up a non-stick pan to medium heat, add the pine nuts and cook until golden, shaking the pan occasionally.
Place everything except the cheese, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.
Stir in the cheese and season to taste.
Put the pesto in a jar, drizzle a little olive oil on top and close.
This can keep for a few weeks in the fridge if you continue to top the pesto with olive oil to keep the herbs fresh.
Anton Dougall is an Expert on Maltese food.