Basil and Roasted Garlic Pesto

Sue Lau's Note:

Excellent on bruschetta. Is also great on pasta.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 25 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 10 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 10

Yield: 1.25 cups

• 1 head garlic
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 cups fresh basil leaves , packed
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 -5 sprigs fresh Italian parsley
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese
• lemon wedge
• salt (to taste)
• black pepper (to taste)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut top 1/3 off of garlic head; peel away paper skin to thin layer or 2 surrounding the cloves.
3. Place in small ovenproof dish; drizzle top with 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
4. Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 70 minutes; allow to cool.
5. Squeeze garlic out of the paper skin into a small bowl; set aside.
6. Place half the basil in a blender; add 1/2 the extra virgin olive oil, garlic, parsley, pine nuts, salt, pepper, and the remaining basil, the other half of the oil, and pulse until blended.
7. Remove mixture to a bowl; add the parmesan and juice from lemon wedge and mix well.
8. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Reviews

[Magic Spice]

This is TO DIE FOR! I used to make pesto every day in a restaurant... and this recipe is waaaaaaaay better! Thanks for your easy, super recipe!

[Chef #905685]

This is the BEST Pesto recipe. My girls love it! It is a good use of my deef fence (the deer around here won't cross or eat the basil so I plant it all around my garden) but after finding this recipe I'd plant loads of basil just for this!

[Chippie]

Wow Sue, this stuff is GREAT!!!!!! Made it yesterday morning and used it on Italian bread last night at dinner. DH gave major, major, major "Thumbs Up" and even said it was better than his mothers! (MIL was born & raised in northern Italy) So, this was quite the compliment from him. Can't wait to try some on pasta as a side dish. I do suggest you introduce the ingredients and let them blend so they will become friends in a little while. I did and from the taste, I think the ingredients became best friends! Thanks again Sue and glad I was able to take a couple pics for you as this was the last of my basil from the garden this year!