I love the versatility of Pestos!
Not just the different combinations of ingredients but also the variety of uses it holds.
If I need a quick snack or something for supper, out comes a portion of some pesto I have made from a glut of herbs from the garden.
The obvious and traditional use of pesto is with pasta, but I use it in sandwiches, on fish, in stir-fries with any leftover vegetables, as a dip when mixed with a little mayonnaise…… and so the list goes on.
Basil, Wild Garlic and Hazelnut Pesto
Ingredients
- 50 g Basil
- 25 g Wild Rocket
- 50 g Hazelnuts
- 50 g Parmesan cheese
- 150 ml olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- Ground black pepper
- Little squeeze of lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat a small frying pan over a low heat. Cook the hazelnuts until starting to brown, shaking occasionally. Put into a food processor with the basil,wild garlic, parmesan, olive oil and garlic clove. Process until smooth and season with paper and lemon juice to taste.
Notes
Tip: If you haven't got some of the above herbs you can replace them with parsley, sorrel, coriander or rocket.
I sometimes substitute half of the cheese with a different hard cheese such as cheddar, hard goats cheese, Emmental or Gouda.
I sometimes substitute half of the cheese with a different hard cheese such as cheddar, hard goats cheese, Emmental or Gouda.