HOW TO MAKE PESTO THE OLD FASHION WAY WITH A MORTAR AND PESTLE

Talk about a labor of love, well this sure was.  I hurt my shoulder a while back and since I have had issues with my hand on my right side becoming numb.  I have to admit I have made it with a food processor many times but I can tell a difference in using the mortar and pestle.

I always have an herb garden each year and have tons of basil.  Not only do I make pesto, but I will also flavor oils with basil, I love to have dried basil from my own garden, and our rabbits love the basil.  

For this recipe, I chose to use pine nuts.  I toasted them in a #3 cast iron skillet just until they got a bit of color.

I prefer to use fresh garlic.  Peel them and give them a rough chop.

Add the garlic and a small amount of sea salt to your mortar.

Now the fun part begins.  You get to beat the garlic and salt silly.  

You want the garlic to be like a paste.

Make sure you have cleaned your basil well.  I mean really well.  Bugs love to hide in the leaves.  Add a hand cup at a time to the mortar.  Each time pounding the basil into a paste before adding more.

 

Just pound away.  Next, add your toasted pine nuts.  AND pound some more.

You want it to look something like the picture below.

Shred some good parmesan cheese.

You need to shred it really fine so it will incorporate better.  Guess what?  You get to pound some more.

At this point, it really is up to you how fine you make everything.  I made some a few days later with my friend Lisa and we kept it a bit more chunky.

The last step is adding your oil.  I used extra virgin olive oil.

Add then mix.  

If you want more oil add more.  

Mix until it is the consistency you prefer.  

I think it makes a really pretty picture.

Once you are finished making your pesto, add it to a jar.  

Pour more oil on the top.

Add a lid and put it in the fridge.  

OLD FASHION PESTO

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup pine nuts toasted
• 5 to 6 ounces fresh cleaned basil
• 3 garlic cloves 
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shredded finely
• 1/2 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
• Extra virgin olive oil 

Directions

• Start by washing the basil and allowing it to dry thoroughly.
• Toast pine nuts
• Peel garlic cloves and give them a rough chop.
• Finely shred parmesan cheese
• Place salt and garlic into your mortar.  Beat these 2 ingredients into a paste.
• Add basil a small handful at a time.  Beat the basil well before adding the next handful.  Pound it all down to the consistency you prefer. 
• Add pine nuts and pound some more.  
• Add your cheese and pound some more.  Again making sure you pound everything down to the consistency you prefer. 
• Start adding olive oil a few tablespoons at a time.  Again come to the consistency you prefer.
• Add into a jar and top with more oil.  

This will keep in the fridge for several weeks.  

Pesto is one of those things that you can pretty much play with and not mess up.  You do not have to use basil.  You could use spinach, parsley, swiss chard or any combo.  Same way with the nuts, you could use walnuts instead of pine nuts.  As I mentioned, later the same week I made this with my friend Lisa and we totally mixed it up.  We used coconut oil and walnuts.  She wanted it more chunky so we did not pound or beat it into a paste.  The results were wonderful.

This is the first time I have made pesto with my pestle and mortar.  Something about doing it the old-timey way just brings out the oils in the basil making it more flavorful.  

It is Friday.  ENJOY your weekend!