Italian Pesto

For 4 people.

Prep time:  15 mins.  Cooking time: 10 mins.

80 ml of Olive Oil
2 Tblsp of Pine nuts
75 gr of Fresh Basil
2 cloves of Garlic
1 pinch of salt

375 grs of Spaghetti

1. Heat 1 tbls of olive oil in a frying pan and brown the Pine Nuts, dry them in paper towel afterwards.
2. In a food processor, mix the Basil, Pine Nuts and Garlic.
3.  Add the olive oil, with the food processor still on, in a single thin thread, until you get a evenly blended paste
4. Transfer this to a seperate bowl and mix in the parmesan.
5.  Add the pesto to the boiled (and drained) pasta.
6. Serve immediately

Tip:  Pesto can be made ahead and frozen as long as the parmesan does not get added into the mix until just before serving.

No matter how much I try, I just don't like Pesto!

I have been fortunate enough to, not only have travelled a lot, but to have lived in some of the world's most beautiful and delicious places.  One of the most popular dishes, in the western world, is Pesto! 

It is hard for anyone to say that they don't like italian food.  Most kids grow up on Spaghetti Bolognese and Lasagna and so, we learn to love it from a very young age.  As for me, I grew up in a very italian neighbourhood of Montreal.  Most of my friends associated themselves with being Italian over being Canadian - eventhough almost none of them had ever been to Italy!  And it was an easy thing to believe - I remember going to their houses and feeling like I had just been transported into the italian countryside - their small city gardens covered in vines and tomato plants, just as they would have been in "the old country".  I got to try some of the best italian food ever, just by visiting my friends' grandparents, and not ever having to leave Montreal...  from stuffed vine leaves to tomato sauce, homemade pickled antipasti..  everything so delicious!

So why, do I have trouble with Pesto!  I love the idea of Pesto - Basil is one of my favourite herbs to use, and pine nuts are so decadent - I don't ever turn them down... but put the 2 together, and I'm just not all that into it.  I'm not willing to give up, though - I do try it from time to time, in case I eventually find one that I like, because I WANT to like Pesto, but I just don't.  So, yesterday, I tried making my own, for the first time, hoping that would be the solution to my problem:

75gr. of Basil
80ml of Olive Oil
2 cloves of garlic
2 tblsps of Pine nuts (slightly browned)
20grs of parmesan

but nope!  I still thought it to be quite dry and bland... so, what's the solution?  What magical ingredient am I missing? Can anyone help me love Pesto?

Introduction

Hi. This is my first post. I am starting this blog as a diary of my epicurean experiences. I live in Madrid, Spain. My husband and I are big oenophiles. If you match that to my love for cooking and his love for eating, we are the perfect couple. To me, happiness and a good meal go hand-in-hand. I am always happiest when my belly is stuffed and I can eat no more… The holidays, Easter, Family reunions … these are all occasions where I find myself particularly happy. I love to cook. And the bigger the group of people I am cooking for, the more fun I have.


So, as I mentioned, I live in Madrid. This is just another stop on our life mission to experience life in as many countries as possible. Living in Europe is great because we can quickly enjoy a new style of cuisine, different local recipes, wine from different regions… and all the culture, history, sights and smell that enhance the culinary experience. I live to travel and I live to eat. So, when I travel, there is usually a strong gastronomic component to the trip.

So… what is the purpose of this blog? To document all of my epicurean experiences enjoyed around the world, to share recipes, to receive recipes/ideas/suggestions for improvement, to meet other epicureans, to discover the story behind local recipes and to ensure that every meal eaten is delicious.