We made the summer’s first pesto from garden basil last week. Doug and I enjoy pesto year-round from frozen basil (more on that later), but nothing compares to the version made with those first tender, sweet leaves. They get tougher and spicier with summer heat, so the next three or four weeks will be a relentless Pesto Fest around here.
I’ve learned a few things about making this glorious herb sauce over the years. For one thing, I’m done with feeling guilty for not making it in a mortar. As anyone who has been in my kitchen knows, I’m a mortar enthusiast, but I make pesto in a blender because it comes out better. For another thing, I have somewhat unconventional views about cheese in pesto.
Are you ready to up your pesto game?
Tip #1: To keep your pesto emerald-green, blanch the leaves for just a few seconds. Then squeeze dry and puree with olive oil and a pinch of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C—sold as Fruit-Fresh in grocery stores). I learned these tricks from Napa Valley chef Michael Chiarello. Traditionalists will resist this advice (I did), but these steps enhance the color and don’t affect the flavor one bit.
Tip #2: Super important: add some creamy cheese. Most recipes call for Parmigiano-Reggiano, sometimes mixed with pecorino romano. I use pecorino romano because I like the sheepy flavor, but I now always add a spoonful of fresh cheese like ricotta, Green Dirt Farm fresh sheep cheese, Madame Loïk or Snøfrisk. This is not heresy. In Liguria, cooks often add a local dairy product called prescinseua, commonly described as tasting like ricotta mixed with yogurt. The addition of fresh cheese produces a creamier, more mellow, more cohesive pesto that cloaks the noodles beautifully.
Tip #3: If you want delicious pesto year-round, don’t freeze it. Freeze the basil. Blanch the leaves quickly as described in the recipe below, squeeze them dry, then blend with a pinch of ascorbic acid and enough extra virgin oil to make a puree. Freeze the puree in ice cubes trays. We vacuum-seal two cubes together because that’s enough puree to make pesto for two. To make pesto, thaw the cubes. Pound pine nuts, garlic and salt to a paste in a mortar. Stir the paste into the puree along with the ricotta and pecorino. This method provides us with fragrant, satisfying pesto all year.
Pesto worthy: Fresh sheep log
Tip #4: This one’s for home gardeners. For years, I’ve purchased basil seedlings in 4-inch pots from a local nursery. Then I noticed that the pots of live basil that stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s sell are much bushier and less expensive. I know most grocery shoppers buy potted basil for the kitchen counter, but I buy these healthy living herbs to plant. It’s like a running start.
You’ll find more helpful pesto tips in this Planet Cheese post.
Summer’s Best Pesto
My favorite version of pasta with pesto includes sliced boiled potatoes and haricots verts. I precook the potatoes and beans and reheat them in the boiling pasta water just before the pasta is done.
6 cups basil leaves (no stems), loosely packed
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
½ cup whole-milk ricotta
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 clove garlic, sliced
Pinch of ascorbic acid (about 1/8 teaspoon)
½ cup freshly grated pecorino romano
Kosher or sea salt
Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Prepare an ice bath and have a sieve ready. Plunge the basil into the boiling water and use tongs to poke all the leaves under the water. Immediately drain in the sieve and transfer to the ice bath. Drain again and squeeze dry. Chop coarsely.
Put the basil, olive oil, ricotta, pine nuts, garlic and ascorbic acid in a blender and blend until smooth. You may have to stop the blender several times and poke the basil down into the oil and ricotta. Everybody’s interpretation of “loosely packed” is different, so if you need a little more oil to create a puree, add it now. Transfer the smooth pesto to a bowl and stir in the pecorino and salt to taste. If not using immediately (although it’s best to do so), place a sheet of plastic film on top to prevent oxidation.
Makes about 1-1/2 cups, enough for 1-1/2 pounds of pasta