Aunt K's Corner

Hi, I’m Chrissy’s Aunt Kathy from NY. I wanted to drop in to say hello and to support Chrissy’s new blog which I think is fabulous! I have a great pesto recipe which I thought I would share with you since many of you grow your own basil these days! Living in NY, the basil growing season is limited so when my basil plants are thriving, I LOVE to make homemade pesto. Before I share my recipe with you, I wonder how many of you know that basil is a symbol of LOVE in Italy and if that’s not enough to make you want to eat it, basil is also a wonderful source of Vitamin K, A, Iron & Calcium…..it’s a win win!! Ok, I know I am going on and on so here is my recipe:

(4) cups whole basil leaves
(1/2) cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
(1) large or (2) small cloves of garlic
(1/2) cup good quality olive oil
(1/4) cup pine nuts

Now, I used to put all of the ingredients in a blender until pureed, but I read a story recently about how the traditional Italians make their pesto. Instead of putting the pesto in a blender, they chop everything by hand until it has the consistency of a paste. Now I know this takes a lot longer, but it is worth it in the end!! The flavor is amazing!!! Try it!! You can use pesto on any type of pasta, but I prefer using spaghetti or fettuccini – just my preference! Before serving my little platter of heaven, I like to chop up a few ripe plum tomatoes to put on top as a garnish – Delicioso!!!