Pesto make with Purple Basil

I got a great big bunch of purple basil from the farmer’s market. It was so beautiful and I used some in a delicious salad and I thought with the leftover I’d make a purple pesto. Well I just found out that when you blend purple basil it turns a dark muddy green.

Oh well…

I made a basic pesto with an added roasted red pepper. It taste delicious and you might want to make it with regular green basil instead.

Ingredients for around four servings

2 cups basil leaves – packed

1 roasted red pepper – stem, seeds, skin removed and rough chopped

2 garlic cloves grated

2 oz pine nuts – toasted – I put in a 225 degree F oven till they got some color…10-15 minutes

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup pecorino cheese – shredded

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Optional up to a half cup water – the pesto will come out very thick, It is good that way but I like it thinner. Most people will just add more olive oil but I prefer to use as little oil as possible.

Directions Just Blend!

Pesto make with Purple Basil

Latter I made a more traditional style pesto with regular basil leaves.

I didn’t measure but what we have here are a lot of basil leaves, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts, parmesan, course sea salt and (don’t tell……..) a little sugar to highlight the sweet basil taste.

The Forking Truth