Pesto

Ingredients

2 Cups fresh Basil Leaves, rinsed and patted dry
10 medium-sized garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 cup shelled raw walnuts
1 cup extra-virgin olive oid (Trader Joe's has some cheap)
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated romano cheese (or use Trader Joe's mixture)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Put the basil, garlic, and walnuts in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and chop. (The book says it can possibly be made in a blender, too, but use 1/2 the recipe.)

Add the olive oil in a slow steady stream while the motor is running.

Shut off motor; add cheeses, a pinch of salt, and liberal grinding of black pepper. Process briefly (say 30 seconds or so) and scrape out into a bowl. Keep covered or it will oxidize.

This recipe is modified from The Silver Palate, my favorite cookbook. All I did was crank up the garlic :).

Jeff Goldsmith, jeff@tintin.jpl.nasa.gov, April 25, 1996