Homemade pesto - is it easy, is it worth it and can I freeze it?

[Holymoly321]

3yr old DS1 and 12mth DS2 both LOVE pesto (they would both live on it if I let them!), but am not sure how healthy shop bought jars of it are. Can I make it in batches and then freeze? Is it easy to make? I only have a blender not a processor.

yes easy
yes worth it
no cannot freeze.

ds and i made some with pestle and mortar but he didn't like it, too strongly flavoured.

how do you make it fishie?

It is v.v. easy, my 7 year old can make it independently. You need a big bunch of basil/all of one of those supermarket pots; a snall-ish clove of garlic; a small handful of pine kernels; a generous handful of grated/chopped parmesan; a couple of tbsp of olive oil; and maybe a bit of salt and pepper. Put it all together and blend! the proportions are pretty flexible, and if you make it regularly you can shift the balance to see what your family likes best.

It is so much yummier than the stuff in jars, really well worth making.

Message withdrawn

how long will it last in the fridge?

have succesfully frozen pesto - yes its much better than shop stuff - best to use a big pestle and mortar to bash it all up in. Blender would make it too fine / mushy not what you really want.

thanks all, but how long will it last oin the fridge?

Should be at least a week - but always used it up before then - its best made in small batches anyway - a big bunch of basil bashes down quite small - its much more intense / flavoursome than usual pre-made stuff.

My two love pesto too, DD always asks for pesto pasta as the carbohydrate element of her meal, iyswim (obv she doesn't use quite that terminology!)
Must try and make it myself, alwyas use a sacla jar at present

I keep it for much longer than a week. I find it lasts more like two to three weeks.

If you grow your own basil and always keep garlic, olive oil, pine nuts and parmesan in you don't need to freeze it - it takes 3 minutes to make.

i LOVE pesto but far to lazy to make it

but is it really just basil,nuts,cheese and garlic and oil?

DS has taken a liking to the jar bought pesto, on pasta. Seems far too easy to make, so would echo Blondes question.

lazy like me stubble?

You can freeze pesto. Everyone here does. It's delicious in the middle of winter when the snow is on the ground and you whip out a block of pesto made from homegrown basil.

You can use a food processor - my DH is Italian and we make it like that, so the consistency's authentic that way...

40g basil leaves
50g pine nuts
2 plump garlic cloves
a bit of salt
60g finely grated parmesan
extra virgin olive oil

Put the garlic and pine nuts in the fp with a bit of salt. Whizz it briefly until they're broken up into large crumbs. Add the basil leaves and whizz to a green lumpy paste. Chuck in the cheeze and pour in the oil while whizzing until you get the consistency/colour etc. you like. Eat!

You don't need to freeze it - it lasts ages (3 weeks) in the fridge. Just put it in a jam jar with a layer of olive oil on top.

Am a bit dim - don't know the difference between a blender and a fp. We just use this dinky little Kenwood thing. Bit like this one.

Cheese.

yes to all 3.

Blondes. Not lazy (I make my own pasta! [smug grin]), just rubbish at the sauces.. Thankyou for the recipe, will a pestle and morter suffice for a blender?

I should think so, SoC - if you can be bothered!

you make your own pasta?

again i buy it