Best Ever Pesto Sauce!

A good basil pesto sauce is one of those recipes that is surprisingly easy but makes the chef look like a genius to those who don't know how to cook.  Its heady and fragrant aroma is outstanding, and the intense, complex flavors will make everyone think you are a culinary god.  I would suggest you allow them to think that way.

One pound of Tinkyada penne gluten-free pasta smothered with pesto sauce!  I like to use gluten-free pastas with a shape that can really hold all the sauce in, so each piece is screaming pesto at me.  Penne is a good choice as is rotini.

Pesto is not a cooked sauce.  It is a raw sauce that is used most frequently over pasta (gluten-free, please!), but it also makes a fantastic sauce for a gluten-free pizza.  It is wonderful as a topping for grilled meat or when used as a sandwich spread.  It's also good in salads or tossed with cooked vegetables or as a garnish for soups.  Everything comes to life with this special, zesty sauce.  Here are some photos to show you how to make perfect pesto, but shhhhh, don't tell anyone how easy this is to make!

Place your pine nuts in a single layer in a pan.  I use my toaster oven pan.  Then roast them for a few minutes until browned.  This step is vital--do NOT use raw pine nuts in your pesto!

Put the basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, parmesan, salt, pepper, and lemon juice in a food processor fitted with the blade.  Process until smooth.  You may want to scrape down the sides once or twice during processing to make sure no large pieces are left in the sauce.  You want a nice smooth sauce.

2 cups (2 ounces) of fresh basil leaves

1 or 2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup of pine nuts, roasted

2/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp of salt

1/4 tsp of pepper

dash of lemon juice

Place all ingredients in a food processor bowl fitted with the blade.  Process until smooth, scraping the bowl down as needed.

TIPS:

1.  Use the BEST olive oil you can afford in this because the sauce is raw, and the olive oil is second only to the basil in flavor.  A good olive oil will take your pesto sauce from "good" to "divine."

2.  Again, since the sauce is raw, go easy on the garlic.  I LOVE garlic, but I only use one clove when I make this.  Otherwise, the garlic is overwhelming.

3.  Do be sure to roast your pine nuts for a few minutes.  It makes all the difference in the world in flavor!

4.  I use Tinkyada gluten-free pasta because it is readily available and I find it to be superior to most other brands.

5.  You can freeze pesto sauce by spooning it into ice cube trays.  Allow to freeze for 24 hours.  Then pop the cubes out of the tray (you might need to gently prod them with a butter knife) and quickly put them in a labeled and dated freezer bag.  When you are ready to use them, just pull out one or two cubes as needed and allow to thaw.  It's great for single servings!