Clodagh McKenna’s pesto making masterclass
It's perfect for adding to pasta, spreading in sandwiches or including in a summer salad. If you love pesto, Clodagh's in the kitchen to show you just how easy it is to make your own at home.
Pesto 3-Way
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
For the basil pesto:
80g fresh basil leaves
200ml extra virgin olive oil
100g toasted pine nuts
40g Parmesan, grated
2 cloves of garlic
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the rocket pesto:
30g almonds, whole
60g rocket
1 garlic clove, crushed
30g Parmesan, grated
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
150ml extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the sundried tomato & chilli pesto:
40g almonds, skin on
260g sundried tomatoes in oil, drained
1 red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley
125ml extra virgin olive oil
25g Parmesan, grated
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method
To make the basil pesto:
1. Place all the basil leaves, olive oil, pine nuts, Parmesan and garlic into a food processor and blend until it reaches a smooth consistency.
2. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
To make the rocket pesto:
1. Place the almonds, rocket, garlic, Parmesan, lemon and olive oil in a food processor and pulse until well combined, but not totally smooth.
2. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
To make the sun dried tomato and chilli pesto:
1. Place the pine nuts, sun dried tomatoes, chilli, garlic, parsley, olive oil and Parmesan in a food processor.
2. Blend until you reach a smooth consistency and then season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.
The pesto’s can be stored in the fridge for up to a month.