Pesto

(about 1 cup)

This seems to be that time of year when some gardeners feel a bit overwhelmed by an abundance of goodness in their gardens. My neighbour very apologetically dropped off a huge bunch of basil. He told me the plants had taken over his herb garden.

To say the least, I was thrilled to take the basil off his hands. I love the smell of it!

The following recipe can be doubled or even tripled, because pesto freezes really well. Just think, you could defrost some it and add a bit of sunshine to your hot spaghetti, long after those pesky plants took over the garden.

2 cups fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
3 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place the basil, cheese, pine nuts and garlic into the bowl of a food processor. Turn on the motor and slowly pour the oil down the chute. You might have to stop it once or twice to scrape down the sides. Process until smooth.

Adjust the seasoning with the salt and pepper.