This is delicious. I had forgotten just how lovely it is, and how easy.

You can play around with the consistency –  I like it quite chunky, but just a bit more blending and a splash more olive oil and you have a much smoother pesto.

Although this recipe uses pine nuts, I sometimes choose to substitute in cashew nuts which have a creamier more decadent taste.

Ingredients

• 20g Basil Leaves
• 20g Parsley Leaves
• 60g Pine Nuts (or cashew nuts)
• 60g Grated Parmesan
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, crushed
• 200 – 250ml of Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

Put all of the ingredients into a blender, give it a whiz. That’s it.

The proportion of herbs to pine nuts and parmesan is important,  however I vary the amount of olive oil depending on how liquid I want the pesto to be. Start with a good ‘glug’ and then add more as it is blending if it appears too dry.

How smooth to make the pesto is a matter of preference. Personally, I prefer to have a bit of ‘bite’  so I stop blending while the pine nuts are still a little chunky.

The pesto can be stored in a jar in the fridge for a few days. As well as being delicious with pasta, it can also be served with sliced mozzarella and tomatoes on toasted sourdough.  Surprisingly, it is also a fantastic addition to a potato salad.