You may be familiar with pine nuts, a tasty small nut with a teardrop form that is frequently used to make pesto and prepare other foods. The edible seeds found in pine trees are known as pine nuts or pignoli. The inner, typically edible portion of a hard, inedible nut shell is called the seed. Pine nuts are found in the female cone of a pine tree. They have a buttery, buttery-crunchy feel and are delightfully sweet and delicious. In fact, pine kernels are a wonderful source of nutrients produced from plants, important minerals, vitamins, and "heart-friendly" monounsaturated fatty acids that greatly improve health by lowering levels of harmful cholesterol in the blood.
Although pine nuts can be pricey, handmade pesto is unmatched. Fresh basil and toasted pine nuts are used to make this adaptable Italian sauce, which tastes excellent over pasta, pizza, or veggies. The fact that it is quick to prepare and only requires a few ingredients is the best part!
Ingredients:
3 tbsp Pine Nuts
2 oz (60g) Fresh Basil Leaves
2 cloves Garlic, peeled
1 oz (30g) Parmesan Cheese, chopped into large pieces
½ tsp Kosher Salt
½ tsp Lemon Juice (optional)
⅓ cup (80ml) Olive Oil
Method:
Set a dry skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and heat, stirring regularly, for three to four minutes, or until they begin to smell fragrant and develop light golden brown spots. To avoid burning the pine nuts, keep an eye on them.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine cheese, salt, lemon juice, cheese, basil leaves, and pine nuts. (Note: If a standing blender's blades sit low enough to blend the ingredients, you can also use it.) Until the ingredients are all finely minced, pulse or blend.
Slowly add the olive oil while the food processor is operating until the pesto is silky and pourable. You can add up to 1 tablespoon more olive oil if it is too thick.
If necessary, add more salt after giving the pesto a taste.
How To Store Pesto
Pesto keeps for four to five days in the refrigerator. Keep it in an airtight container for optimal effects. Before storing the pesto, add a little additional olive oil to the top to help prevent browning of any parts of the pesto that come into contact with air.
Pesto lasts for four to six months when frozen. You can freeze the pesto in ice cube trays or tiny jars (just be sure to leave room at the top for expansion as it freezes) (pop the frozen cubes out and store them in a freezer bag).
