You need:
— 3 large handfuls of fresh basil
— 2 garlic cloves
— good cold-pressed olive oil — enough to make it silky
— 1 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted
— 1 tbsp parmesan, crumbled
— salt and black pepper
Grind the basil, garlic and pine nuts in a mortar or blender until very fine. Pour in the olive oil slowly until you have a beautiful thick paste — not too runny, not a mush. You'll know when it's right.
Add the parmesan at the end and mix or crush it in. Season with salt and pepper.
Et voilà. Ready for pasta.
Daisy's tip #1: When cooking pasta, mix a little pasta water into the pesto before tossing — it makes the sauce silky and creamy and coats every single strand perfectly.
Daisy's tip #2 — the game changer: Roast a whole garlic bulb in the oven with plenty of olive oil until the cloves are completely soft. Then squeeze them straight into the pesto. It gives a completely different flavour — deeper, sweeter, more complex.
The quick version with fresh garlic is delicious. The roasted version is somet
! Keep in the fridge and always make sure everything is covered with a layer of olive oil on top. This keeps it fresh and green for days.