BEST SUPERMARKET PESTO RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Toast pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet (or quarter sheet pan), tossing once halfway through, until golden brown, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and let cool. Add cheese and garlic and pulse until finely ground, about 1 minute. Add basil and place the top back on. With the motor running, add oil in a slow and steady stream until pesto is mostly smooth, with just a few flecks of green, about 1 minute. Season with salt. Do Ahead: Pesto can be made 1 day ahead. Top with ½" oil to prevent browning. Store in a covered container (an extra drizzle of oil on top will help prevent oxidation) and chill.
• If you want to use this with pasta, cook 12 oz. dried pasta (we prefer long pasta for pesto) in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking liquid.
• Place pesto and 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces, in a large bowl. Add pasta and ¼ cup pasta cooking liquid. Using tongs, toss vigorously, adding more pasta cooking liquid if needed, until pasta is glossy and well coated with sauce. Season with salt.
• Divide pasta among bowls. Top with finely grated Parmesan.

Steps:

• 1. Peel and bash the garlic in a pestle and mortar with a pinch of sea salt.

  2. Pick the basil leaves and add with the pine nuts, and pound to a coarse paste.

  3. Muddle in the extra virgin olive oil and finely grate and stir in the parmesan, adding a splash of water if you like it a little runnier, then continue bashing and pounding until smooth.

  4. Have a taste and season with salt and black pepper, if needed. For a lovely creamy finish, try crumbling in and stirring through a cooked Jersey Royal. Serve with grilled meat or fish, or simply stirred through pasta – delicious!

  Tips: If you don't have a pestle and mortar, you can use a blender or food processor instead.

  Alternative flavour combos

  • Use half basil and half rocket, replace the pine nuts with walnuts, and use pecorino instead of parmesan to keep things vegie.

  • Swap out pine nuts for almonds and basil for rocket.

  • Use hazelnuts in place of pine nuts and replace basil with flat-leaf parsley. 

  • Go for an Asian vibe and use cashews, coriander and a squeeze of lime. 

  Jamie: Keep Cooking and Carry On, Fridays 7:30pm only on 10.