Herby Pesto

From the Italian word “pestare,” meaning to “pound or crush,” pesto is a perfect way to use up a surplus of basil and other greens. Traditionally made with pine nuts, we substitute pumpkin seeds to keep it nut free.

Difficulty

Beginner

Yield

2 cups

Ingredients

1 ^1/2 cups fresh herbs, packed2 cloves garlic, chopped1/2 cup pumpkin seeds1/2 lemon, juiced1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated1 cup olive oil, or more as needed Salt to taste Pepper to taste

Equipment

Measuring cupsMeasuring spoonsFood processorGraterSpatulaCutting boardChef’s knifeTasting spoonsDish towel

Gather your mis en place; get together all of the equipment needed for the recipe and gather your ingredients.

Prepare the herbs by removing the leaves from the stem and discarding the stems.

Grate parmesan cheese.

Remove peel from the garlic and chop roughly.

Cut lemon in half, and squeeze out juice, making sure to dispose of the seeds.

Measure out pumpkin seeds and olive oil.

In the bowl of a food processor combine the herbs, sunflower seeds, garlic, parmesan, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Begin to blend.

While blending, drizzle in the olive oil to reach the desired consistency.

You can make your pesto as textured or smooth as you like. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the pesto tastes flat, usually a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon is all it needs. Pulse to combine.