makes
½ cup
prep
10 minutes
cook
10 minutes
difficulty
Easy
makes
½ cup
serves
preparation
10
minutes
cooking
10
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
I use it on top of pasta (thin with a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water and, if needed, more olive oil), but it can be spread over bruschetta, pizza and sandwiches, drizzled over salads and used on pretty much everything you can think of. For a variation, add a tablespoon of ricotta. Or change the herbs: try sage, parsley or mint, or a mix of everything.
Ingredients
- 80 g shelled pistachios
- 20 g blanched almonds
- 6-8 basil leaves
- 20 g Parmigiano Reggiano
- ½ garlic clove
- a pinch of salt
- 60 ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180°C. Place the pistachios and almonds on an oven tray and roast for 8-10 minutes or until golden and fragrant. Rub the pistachios in a tea towel to remove the skins.
Place the nuts, basil, Parmigiano, garlic and salt in a food processor and blitz until finely chopped. With the motor running, add the oil, a little at a time, until a rough pesto consistency.
Alternatively, use a mortar and pestle. Pound the garlic and salt to a paste, then add the basil. Once a brilliant green paste forms, gradually add the nuts. Halfway, alternate adding the nuts with the Parmigiano. Add the oil, a little at a time, once the paste starts getting too thick. It will take some patience, but the final result is very rewarding.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
I use it on top of pasta (thin with a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water and, if needed, more olive oil), but it can be spread over bruschetta, pizza and sandwiches, drizzled over salads and used on pretty much everything you can think of. For a variation, add a tablespoon of ricotta. Or change the herbs: try sage, parsley or mint, or a mix of everything.
