Cooking Italian for ACTUAL Italians

Okay, I'm getting ready to "toot my own horn" so if you find that annoying please stop reading and go back to goofing off on facebook or playing solitaire. So to start this story, about a year ago I watched my girl crush, Giada de Laurentis, make basil pesto on the Food Network. (She is hot, smart, sweet, funny and a great chef, I don't feel bad about having a crush)

Giada on a photo shoot


I tried the recipe and liked it so much that it inspired me to get a basil plant, which I kept alive for over a year. And that has blossomed into a full on herb garden this year.

So the thing I love about this dish is that if you have a basil plant, then it is one of those things that you can whip together in about 5 minutes and it is really good and healthy to boot. So I just keep pine nuts in the freezer and always have garlic and a brick of Parmesan and with my plant, I am good to go. I have given this recipe to lots of people and so far everyone thinks it is great, including my Italian roommate. She swears it tastes just like the pesto in Italy. But she is one of the world's nicest people and I was always just a bit suspicious that she was just being nice.

So last night we were making a different Italian dish called Caponata, when one of her friends from Italy called and said he was going to stop by to say goodbye to Bianca before she leaves on Sunday. So we invited him and his roommate to dinner. We look down at what we've got on the stove and decide it isn't going to be enough for 4 people and consider our options. After surveying the fridge and pantry, I tell Bianca we have stuff on hand for Amatriciana or Pesto but that's about it. She beams, "Emiliano is from the region in Italy where Pesto is famous, he would be so happy if you made it"

Great I think skeptically, a dumb Okie who thinks she can cook, is going to make Italian food for 3 Italians, one of which comes from the place where they actually know what this is supposed to taste like! But as they were expected in less than 30 minutes, I got to work. So they came, they ate my pesto and swore it was great. And both the guys went back for seconds, so I know they were telling the truth. I know it sounds dumb but I am so proud, Italians are very picky about their food and for me to pull this off, feels is a great culinary accomplishment. So below is the recipe for Pesto, basically it's Giada's except I don't measure anything anymore.

Two preparations notes: Bianca says that they only eat Pesto with a long pasta like spaghetti, fettuccine or linguine. I love it with the whole wheat tortellini that you can get in the refrigerator section. Also Bianca says they would never put any kind of meat in with the pasta but I love it with some shrimp tossed in that you sauteed in garlic and oil (grilled chicken is also good)

Buon Appetito!

Basil Pesto

about 1/4 cup of pine nuts (toasted)
2-4 cloves garlic
2 big handfuls fresh basil leaves
little salt and pepper
3/4 to 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 to 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan

Put everything but the cheese and oil in the food processor. Turn it on and slowly drizzle in the oil until it makes a runny paste.
Remove from good processor and mix in with the grated cheese. Toss with hot cooked pasta and enjoy.

Basil Pesto