Homemade pasta with pesto just screams summertime. Now is the time to make it, enjoy it, or freeze it for later. I purchased a large bunch of basil, which I didn't get around to using, so I made a batch for the freezer.
Remove leaves from the stems and wash well, being sure to rinse off any dirt, and then spin dry in a salad spinner. My bunch yielded about 2 cups of leaves.
Measure out one tbsp of pignoli nuts and place the garlic, nuts, and basil leaves into the food processor. Add 1/2 cup of grated cheese (parm or romano):
Cover and pulse until the leaves are all chopped:
Replace cover and turn on the processor. While running add 1/4 - 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil and allow to mix until it forms a paste. Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator (should last a week), or freeze it to use later. Yield is about 1 1/2 cups of pesto which is about the amount you will need for one pound (that's before cooking) of pasta. Enjoy!
