Basil Pesto

The basil plants were beginning to flower so it was either now or never to harvest leaves for pesto.

I used a recipe by Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa: 

1/4 cup walnuts

1/4 cup pignolis ( pine nuts)

3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)

5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups good olive oil

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. 

Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. 

With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. 

Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.