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| ©NotAnotherFoodie |
For me, a mortar and pestle is not so much a functioning piece of kitchenware as it is a decorative object. After almost a year of admiring its beautifully rounded form, I decided it was time to put it to use. With friends coming around for dinner and the promise of something homemade, I decided that it was as good a time as any to attempt making pesto from scratch.
If you don't have a mortar and pestle, a blender/food processor will work just fine.
What you will need:
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| ©NotAnotherFoodie |
- 2 bunches of basil
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- grated parmesan
- olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- bocconcini
- tomatoes
- pasta of your choice
- pepper + salt
The caprese is pretty darn easy so that can be left until the end. The first thing you should do is put the water on for the pasta and roast the pine nuts (I did mine on 200°C for about 5 min). Peel the garlic and crush it in the mortar and pestle. Chop one and half bunches of the basil (about 3 cups) and then grind it to a paste in the M and P. The more finely chopped the basil, the easier it is to grind!
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| ©NotAnotherFoodie |
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| ©NotAnotherFoodie |
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| ©NotAnotherFoodie |
Cook the pasta. Add the roasted pine nuts to the basil mix bit by bit until you are happy with the flavour. Do the same with the parmesan. The quantities are totally up to you but be sure to keep tasting so you get it the way you want!
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| ©NotAnotherFoodie |
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| ©NotAnotherFoodie |
Gradually add some oil mixing through with a whisk (or if you're like me and don't own a whisk, a fork). Again, quantities are flexible but I ended up doing about a quarter of a cup. It's important the pesto is well binded but it doesn't need to be dripping with oil. Season to taste.
Something I didn't do but will try next time is adding some lemon rind and juice to the pesto. The citric acid would help cut through the oil giving it a fresher flavour.
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| ©NotAnotherFoodie |
Drain the pasta and mix through as much or as little pesto as you like. Slice the tomatoes, place on plate, add the bocconcini and some basil, drizzle with olive oil + balsamic and season to taste. Serve the pesto pasta and top with leftover pine nuts, basil and parmesan. You are done!
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| ©NotAnotherFoodie |
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| ©NotAnotherFoodie |
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| ©NotAnotherFoodie |
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| ©NotAnotherFoodie |
