Homemade Pesto

This is perhaps one of my greatest accomplishments in the culinary world. Yes, I used a food processor to make my pesto. Yes, I know it supposedly tastes better when you chop everything by hand. I'd rather make pesto in five minutes than thirty. I'm sure most people would agree with me.

Instead of adding the olive oil to the pesto mix in the food processor, I saved it as the last step. I formed the pesto into a "cake" as you see in the picture above, then I put it in a small bowl with a few tablespoons of olive oil.

I think it's better this way instead of incorporating the olive oil into the pesto in the beginning. Sometimes pesto will have too much of a liquid base when adding olive oil in one of the first steps. I apologize for measuring my ingredients in my hand instead of a measuring cup. I forgot I was a food blogger. Just eyeball it and go with your instincts.

Homemade Pesto
adapted from several recipes

2 handfuls of fresh basil, cleaned and destemmed
1 generous handful of pecans (or walnuts, almonds, etc.)
1 handful of parmesan cheese
4 cloves garlic
3-4 tablespoons of olive oil, or more

Combine basil, pecans, parmesan, and garlic in a food processor.
Pulse a few times until finely minced.
Form into a pesto cake.
Transfer to a small dish, just slightly larger than the pesto cake.
Add a few tablespoons of olive oil, either enough to cover sides or to immerse entire cake, depending on your desired consistancy.
Set in refrigerator until ready to use, then stir olive oil and pesto cake until well combined.