roasted almond basil Pesto
As a child Haviva remembers her mother coming up from the garden carrying a bowl full of basil leaves. Once she would enter, the house would fill up with the amazing aroma of the basil in seconds. Her mother would prepare the pesto for Haviva’s favourite dish – spaghetti with Pesto and Parmesan cheese. She loved watching her mother working in the kitchen – she would always have the food processor running while doing at least ten other things at the same time. Thanks to her mother, Haviva has always been a culinary lover as well. Over the years, inspired by her mother’s cooking, she found herself experimenting with food and making up recipes as she goes. Since Pesto was one of her favourite foods, she experimented with ways of preparing this wonderful sauce until she found the perfect combination. Haviva loves using it as a spread for homemade crackers, in salad dressing or as a vegetable dip. Due to the lemon and lots of almonds this pesto can keep its vibrant green up to a week in a sealed jar in the refrigerator.
INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup roasted almonds
2 garlic cloves
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2-1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Roast the almonds for approx. 8-10 min in the oven on high temperature. Make sure they do not burn just lightly roast). Once the almonds cool down pulse them in the food processor with the garlic until finely chopped.
- Add the basil leaves, a bunch at a time, and pulse a bit each time you add leaves until they all fit in.
- Add the lemon juice and salt and start the food processor.
- While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady small stream. Add the oil until you receive a soft paste, not to soft and not to dry. Adding the olive oil slowly, while the processor is running, will help it emulsify and help keep the olive oil from separating. Occasionally stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor.
