Nut free basil pesto
Who doesn’t love the combination of cheese, basil and garlic?
I have a friend coming over who is highly allergic to nuts, hence the recipe. What I didn’t realise is the difference in taste without the pine nuts which gives pesto a smooth undertone. Without it and with the substitute of lemon, the taste of the garlic and lemon has more of a kick, but boy is it mighty tasty!
Ingredients
– 50g basil leaves
– 1-2 cloves of garlic
– 1 lemon zested and juiced
– 50g Parmesan
– 4 tbsp. good olive oil
– Salt and pepper to taste (I didn’t need any)
(Optional: Add 1 garlic clove and half the lemon juice and add the rest to taste)
Method
- Place half the garlic into a blender and pulse till minced.
- Add the basil, lemon zest, half the lemon juice and the Parmesan and blend
- Taste and add the other clove of garlic, lemon juice and seasoning to taste
- Add the olive oil and blend till smooth
- I like to add it to a summer tomato salad with mozzarella pearls (recipe to come)
