Balsamic Pesto

Pesto can be made with all sorts of herbs and nuts, but this recipe is traditional to the core, just basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. It is incredibly easy to make and absolutely delicious. If you scale the recipe up or down, err on the light side with the garlic at first because you don’t want it to overpower the basil’s sweet, spicy flavor. We have added some of LunaOlivo's delicious ModenaVinegar and we think the sweet vinegar is a fabulous addition!

What you’ll need:

• 4  packed cups of fresh Italian basil leaves (I use the variety ‘Genovese’)
• 3 cloves of garlic
• ½ cup pine nuts
• 4 Tbsp LunaOlivo Modena Balsamic Vinegar
•  ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup LunaIOlivo Basil olive oil
• Salt to taste

Instructions:
1. In a food processor, blend the basil, garlic, pine nuts, balsamic and Parmesan cheese into a smooth paste. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Then, with the blade running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Process until the olive oil is thoroughly incorporated and the pesto is smooth. Give the pesto a taste and add salt if necessary.

2. The pesto will keep for up to a week if refrigerated in a covered container. Bring it to room temperature and give it a good stir before using it in a recipe. To freeze, fill the individual cells of an ice cube tray with pesto and place in the freezer until solid. Then, wrap each cube of pesto in plastic and place back in the freezer. To freeze larger portions, line a small cookie sheet or pizza pan with waxed paper. Drop ¼ cup mounds onto the wax paper and freeze until solid. Wrap each mound tightly in plastic and store in the freezer. Drop the frozen cubes of pesto into soups or sauces. When using frozen pesto in a pasta dish, allow the pesto to unthaw and then stir in a few teaspoons of pasta water before tossing it with the cooked pasta—this helps distribute the pesto throughout the pasta evenly