Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

Like I said, I love carbs. So here is my serving suggestion for this sauce (served over spaghetti with kalamata olives and tomato-basil chicken sausage):

OH BABY!

You can also use pesto to grill or top chicken or fish (shrimp? eh? yum!), in dips, on eggs, instead of garlic bread, in burgers, on sandwiches.. ON POTATOES etc. So don't think this is strictly for pasta. 


This recipe combines the sweet taste of fresh basil, with the tang of sun-dried tomatoes and olive oil to create delicious and fragrant sauce. Fresh basil is a great thing to have on hand; it has an amazing aroma that is very enticing. Basil grows pretty out of control (and by that I mean FAST), so if you don't have a lot of space to plant (like me!) it's a good choice. Maximum benefit, minimum space, effort, etc (like a pet goldfish, but more delicious. And it's not going to die overnight and get flushed down the toilet. Ok, bad example). 

Fresh basil, just cleaned. Can you smell it??

Pesto is a fairly easy sauce to make, as long as you own a food processor. Pretty much just combines a few simple, ingredients in a way that they all shine. If you're not a confident chef and you want to impress people with your "skills," make this. This is the recipe for you. Hint, hint. (Subtlety? Not a strength of mine. I lean more towards awkwardly blurting things out.)

My recipe makes about 4 servings (or really 2, if you're like Adam and I, which I've already said, not enough people are). So adjust accordingly. You can also multiply this (just leave out the cheese) and freeze it (then add the cheese and a little extra oil after you defrost it).

Soundtrack: Amazing Baby - Rewild

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

1 to 1&1/2 c. fresh basil leaves (yea, they gotta be fresh)

1 clove fresh garlic

1/8 c. pine nuts (yea, they're expensive, but this amount will probably cost you $1 or 2)

10 sun-dried tomatoes (not the kind in oil)

1/2 c. olive oil

1/4 Pecorino Romano cheese (freshly grated, preferred! You can add more, to taste)

Salt & Pepper

Combine basil, garlic, pine nuts and tomatoes in a food processor. Run until pureed (you'll have to scrape down the sides, etc). Add cheese and olive oil and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and add a little salt n peppa.

Yep, that's easy.

Looks like a weird flower!

What the moon is made of!

Finished sauce, should be a little chunky.

Nom!

Hope you enjoy!