Basil Pesto

This post is for my lovely Rose :)  Apparently, Rose and her very green-thumbed and wonderful mother have a crop of basil that would make any Italian jealous.  So my BFF called me up and asked me for my family's pesto recipe...and I figured it was good enough to share.  This is my sister Gina's version, which I think is the best.  It's yummy, fresh, and garlic-y...and here's a little tip:  you don't have to put this on pasta.  My favorite is using it with steak...it's so delicious and it just kicks up the flavor of the steak in a way that's phenomenal.  Last time I had it, I swear my tastebuds threw a party.

1 and a half cups basil leaves, packed

half cup parsley

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup olive oil (most likely less)

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Make sure that when you measure the 1 and a half cups of basil, that you are packing the leaves down tightly to fit as much in as possible (kind of like you would with brown sugar).  Add the basil, parsley, and garlic cloves to a food processor.  Put the lid on and leave the top open (you know, the way they do it on the Food Network) and add the olive oil gradually as the pesto is blended.  The pesto should be thick - not runny!  You will most likely use less than the 1/4 cup of olive oil.   When the pesto is just blended together enough to stick together, stop blending and stop adding the olive oil.  Put the pesto in a bowl and stir in the parmesan cheese separately.

The great thing about this pesto is that you do NOT ever cook it.  If you want to heat it up, add a smidge of the hot pasta water.  Or just hot water from a tea kettle if you're not using pasta at all.   Buckle up for deliciousness!