Walnut Pesto

Walnuts are used here rather than pine nuts found in classic Genovese pesto. They lend a full-bodied mouthfeel which makes this pesto particularly great as a sandwich spread or sauce for pasta. Load up a crusty baguette with sautéed portobello and swiss chard, roasted red peppers and crumbled feta. Top wild salmon with roasted yellow tomatoes on toasted ciabatta. Add a heaping spoonful to alfredo sauce for the ultimate creamy pesto pasta.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups packed basil

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup toasted walnuts

1/4 cup finely grated pecorino

1/4 cup finely grated parmesan

8 wedges sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

2 cloves garlic

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

METHOD

Strip the tender basil leaves from their stem. Toast the walnuts to heighten their flavor and aroma. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the basil, walnuts, and garlic together. Add the finely grated pecorino and parmesan, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. As you continue to blend and stir with the pestle, drizzle in the 1/2 cup of olive oil. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.

Note: This can also be made using a food processor. Simply add all ingredients and pulse into a thick paste. Grinding by hand yields a more rustic and traditional texture, less homogenous with more nubbly bits.

Pesto pairs beautifully with milky mild cheeses like burrata. Spread the two over crackers or toast for a simple, yet irresistible hors d' oeuvres.

Marble Mortar & Pestle