So easy that any 9 year old can make it.

Start with cleaning and cutting 4 packed cups of basil.  A handy, dandy cute as can be grandson works great for this task.  If you don’t have a cute grandson any small child will do.  They generally work for free, that’s a big bonus in my book….

Toast up some pine nuts.  Stir and shake, shake and stir.  Don’t let them burn.

Smash your garlic with the side of your Chef’s knife to remove the skins.

Practice your weighing skills with the garlic cloves.

Grate or chop your parmigiano-reggiano cheese.  Spencer chose to chop it since you can use the knife and it’s going into the food processor anyway…

Measure up your freshly squeezed lemon juice.  An electric juicer is especially fun!

And your olive oil.  Measuring skills are pretty important if you want to eat.  And accurate if you want to eat well!

After adding everything but the oil, to the food processor, add sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Puree while adding the oil in a steady stream.  Taste and season accordingly.  Or exhaust your legs while carrying taste after taste to PaPa Peter, he is the tasting expert at our house.  When asking Spencer if it tasted right he says “sure”.  I don’t go for sure, does it taste right?  Is it good?  Does it need anything else?  He says, “I’ve never had pesto, but it tastes great to me!”.  Funny kid.  This is my kind of helper!

The finished product.  2~8 oz jars (recycled jars work great!)

Easy Peasy Pesto
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4 cups basil, packed

3-4 garlic cloves (14 grams)

1/3 c. of toasted pine nuts

1/2 c parmesan, grated or 2 oz by weight, chopped

6 tsp lemon juice (2 TBS plus a tad more) (about 1/2 lemon)

3/4 c olive oil

1/2 tsp sea salt + an extra sprinkle

freshly ground pepper

Puree until nearly smooth.

Keeps great in the freezer to scoop out of as needed. Wonderful on pasta, in pasta sauces, over fish, across a steak, by the spoonful… whatever! It’s all good!