Like hummous, this pesto is immensely straightforward to make from scratch and 1000% more delicious than buying it from a shop. Eat it on pasta, spread on toast, stuff chicken breasts with it, add to a roast tomato quiche, dollop onto a jacket potato, or make it part of a flipping amazing roast veggie sandwich. I promise you, if you make this once, you’ll definitely make it again.
I recommend a mini blender for this, it makes it a 2 min job. Otherwise, you can use a pestle and mortar.
- 50g (a large handful) fresh basil – I don’t bother removing the stems, it’s all getting ground up anyway
- 40g pine nuts, toasted
- 1 clove garlic, chopped (or 1 tbsp garlic oil)
- Large pinch salt
- Extra virgin olive oil – more than you think, probably 100ml
- 40g parmesan cheese, finely grated
- Put the basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic and salt into the mini blender and whizz up so everything is combined
- Add half the olive oil and whizz again. It should start to form a course paste now
- Loosen the mixture with more oil and continue to whizz up until it’s a nice spoonable consistency
- Tip into a bowl, add the parmesan and stir together thoroughly. Check the seasoning and then you’re good to go
- Eat immediately or keep in the fridge under a thin layer of oil
Sophie cooks 
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