Getting kids in the kitchen with You Can Cook and a pesto recipe

Pesto Sauce

From You Can Cook by Annabel Karmel

If you’re growing basil in your garden, have the kids help you make some pesto sauce! This recipe uses pine nuts, which is perfect for families with nut allergies since pine nuts are actually seeds and not nuts.

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces pine nuts
• 2 ounces parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 to 2 cloves garlic
• 1 3/4 packed cups fresh parsley
• 1 3/4 packed cups fresh basil
• A pinch of sugar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• Salt and pepper
• Pasta to serve

Directions:

1. First, toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan until lightly golden. Stir them so that they don’t burn. Then leave them to cool.
2. Put the parmesan, garlic, parsley, basil , sugar and cooled pine nuts into a food processor and whiz until finely chopped.
3. Slowly add the olive oil while the motor is whizzing. Add the water and season.
4. Cook the pasta following the package instructions. Drain and put back into the pan.
5. Add the pesto and toss together. Sprinkle with extra parmesan before serving.

Tips:

• You can freeze any leftover pesto. I like putting pesto in clean ice cube trays, freezing them, and then putting 3 to 4 cubes in a freezer bag – about enough to flavor 3 or 4 portions of pasta.
• Shocked how much basil is at the store? Try your local Asian market. They carry a different type of basil, but it’s delicious, very fresh and often at a reasonable price.

Anne-Marie Nichols is the Managing Editor Mom Central Food. You can also find her cooking up some healthy recipes at This Mama Cooks! On a Diet.

Picture courtesy of by lucadea on Flickr.

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Disclaimer: I received a proof copy of You Can Cook to facilitate this review.

Anne-Marie Nichols