basil pesto

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 1 bunch basil, fresh
• Pine nuts, approx. 40 – 50 g
• 1 ball of mozzarella
• 1 large garlic clove(s), more if desired
• 1 shot of oil, neutral, e.g. safflower oil
• Olive oil, approx. 100 – 150 ml
• salt and pepper
• 1 dashes lemon juice

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 20 minutes

Also suitable for those who do not like Parmesan or Pecorino

Roast the pine nuts in a pan without fat, stirring constantly. Remove the basil leaves from the stems, finely chop the stems, and blend them first. Add the roasted pine nuts and chop/blend them as well. Then finely chop the garlic and add it along with the basil leaves, then blend everything again. First, add a splash of neutral oil (olive oil becomes slightly bitter if blended for too long). Now dice the mozzarella and blend again with salt and pepper. Finally, stir in the olive oil with a squeeze of lemon juice (amount of oil to taste and your own discretion) until a sauce-like consistency is achieved. Once the pesto has infused for a while, season again and transfer to a sealable jar. Cover the pesto with olive oil – this will keep well in the refrigerator for several days. I recommend letting the pesto infuse for at least a day. Don’t be surprised – the pesto is quite light in color. This is primarily due to the mozzarella. If you prefer a more intense green, you can simply use more basil. Tip: Pine nuts are quite expensive – I like to supplement the quantity (when possible) with leftover flaked or slivered almonds. A variation would be to use only almonds.