Recipe for Pasta Al Pesto

Pesto is an Italian a fragrant, green sauce often used with pasta dishes. It comes from the region of Liguria. Making a meal with pasta al pesto is not complicated at all. For a good pesto, the most important thing is to have quality ingredients. You may purchase them at a gourmet or organic store, or just go with the best you can find at the supermarket. For a basic pesto you will need: garlic, parsley, and basil (sweet basil is the best kind.)

The first step is to put some water to boil for the pasta. You may choose any type of pasta you prefer. Cook the pasta following the instructions in the bag, but remember to add salt and pepper to the water. While the water boils, start cutting up the ingredients for the pesto. Use at least a whole large-sized garlic to make enough pesto for four cups of pasta. You will also need to fill up a whole cup with chopped parsley, and another cup with basil. If you do not have a food processor, the easiest way to chop the basil is to place several leaves on top of each other, roll them, and then cut up the roll in the smallest pieces possible. To chop up the parsley appropriately, you will need to use only the leaves, and compress them together with your hand while you cut it up. You may also want to add chopped walnuts.

After the pasta is ready and all the ingredients are chopped, heat up some olive oil. In my opinion, the best olive oil is imported from Spain or Italy. Do not use vegetable oil, or any other type of oil, under any circumstance. Add the garlic first. A couple of minutes afterwards or when the garlic is starting to turn gold, add the pasta, the basil and the parsley. Stir for five minutes or until cooked. Serve in individual plates. Add some more olive oil on top if most of the olive oil in the pasta evaporated. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. The best parmesan cheese is the one you buy in a block and grind right on top of the pasta. Top with a couple of more basil leaves cut up.

Pasta al pesto goes very well with chicken or fish, or it can make a whole meal by itself. Always serve warm bread and butter with the pasta (the bread is great to absorb what is left of the pesto sauce on the plate.) You can vary the proportions of the ingredients at your taste. Many types pecorino cheese (more authentic but more difficult to find) is use with or instead of the parmesan cheese, Pine nuts are often used instead of walnuts (although you can use macadamia nuts, walnuts, or anything you prefer.) Enjoy your gourmet dinner with glass of good wine (white wine is best, especially if you are eating the pasta with fish or chicken.) If you have any pesto sauce left over you can always use it to make eggs for the next morning, to top toasts, to spice up chicken, with rice, or to make any other tasty dishes your imagination can come up with.