Pesto Sauce, without Pine Nuts

 Ingredients: -a handful of fresh basil -100ml olive oil -1 or 2 cloves of garlic -for half the amount of sauce, 4 or 5 tablespoons of cheese -salt

Fresh basil leaves are the essential ingredient for creating an aromatic and savory sauce. We start by selecting basil leaves from a fresh bunch, preferably from the market, to ensure that the flavors are intense. We put them in a colander, wash them with cold water, taking care to remove any impurities or insects. After washing, we let the leaves drain well, so we don't add water to our sauce.

In the meantime, we take a few cloves of garlic, which we peel and chop finely. The garlic will provide a spicy and aromatic note to the sauce, perfectly complementing the basil flavor. In the blender cup, we put half of the washed basil, along with half of the chopped garlic and half of the extra virgin olive oil. This high-quality oil will not only help emulsify the sauce but will also add a rich flavor.

We started blending the ingredients, making sure to take short breaks of 1-2 seconds between each blending. This helps achieve a uniform texture without turning the basil into puree. After a few minutes, the sauce should have a homogeneous consistency and a vibrant color. Once we have a delicious base, I decided to keep some of the sauce. Thus, I took half of the sauce and transferred it to a jar. On top, I added a little olive oil, which will not only help preserve the sauce but will also create a protective layer.

I put this jar in the freezer to use later in other dishes. In the other half of the remaining sauce in the blender, I added formaggio, a fine cheese that will further enrich the sauce's flavor. I mixed well, ensuring that the cheese was perfectly incorporated into the sauce.

Now, the sauce is ready to be served alongside the cooked pasta. In the meantime, we bring water to a boil for the pasta, and when it reaches boiling point, we add our favorite pasta. After the pasta is cooked al dente, we drain it and mix it with the creamy basil and formaggio sauce. Finally, we can decorate the dish with a few fresh basil leaves and a little grated parmesan for extra flavor. Enjoy your meal!

 Tags:  garlic oil olives gluten-free recipes vegetarian recipes