Who doesn't just love pesto? It is so incredibly easy to make, and such a versatile condiment to use. My favourite way to enjoy pesto is stirred through pasta (of course), but I'll often use it as an accompaniment to a cheese platter, or on a grilled chicken and brie sandwich. Pesto spruces up the blandest of dishes and can be made with such a variety of seeds, nuts, oils and greens.
While pesto is very much readily available at the supermarket, nothing quite beats the fresh taste of the homemade kind. Additionally, creating pesto with rocket and walnuts reduces the cost greatly - while I adore pine nuts (who doesn't), those little seeds are mighty expensive. I recommend grabbing your rocket leaves from the loose leaf section at your grocer. Not only is this more environmentally friendly, but you'll notice that doing so also reduces your bill. You pay an extra premium for pre-packaged fruit and vegetables, and I find they tend not to last anywhere near as long as the loose kind. Better yet, shop from your local markets.
As I've stated in the recipe, the flavour of a pesto depends greatly on the ingredients, so while I've written down the measurements, make sure you taste regularly throughout the recipe. I find that sometimes I add another clove of garlic, or no salt at all - go with what your tastebuds tell you.
In other news, I made this cool .gif:
See it in all it's glory over on my Instagram. Yes, yes, I didn't use a tripod (rookie), so it's a little haphazard. But I'm proud of myself for dedicating a good hour or so of my time to making it. I'll try harder next time.
PrintRocket & Walnut Pesto
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 cups 1x
- Category: Condiment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup walnuts
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 cups fresh rocket
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp chilli flakes
- ⅓-½ cup olive oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- In a food processor, or high powered blender, place walnuts, garlic cloves, rocket, parmesan cheese and chilli flakes. Pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped, regularly scraping down the sides
- Drizzle in olive oil as you pulse the other ingredients. Pesto should still be textured, but silky enough to be used as a sauce or dip. Season with salt as needed. The taste of the pesto varies based on the ingredients, so taste regularly throughout.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or jar for up to one week. Perfect with fresh pasta, on a sandwich with chicken and brie, or as a part of a cheese board.
Let me see all of your food creations and delicious snaps by using the hashtag #eatnik on your photos!
