Fresh Pesto Sauce

As I mentioned yesterday, I made some nom-tastic pesto recently for lunch.  Pesto is such a simple yet flavorful sauce and it's super easy to whip up for any time so I wanted to share my recipe with you.  It makes enough for two pounds of pasta.  The pre-packaged pasta you get at the grocery store comes in one-pound boxes so, essentially, this will be enough for about two boxes.  Enjoy!

What You Need:
2 c. chopped fresh basil leaves
2 sprigs of parsley, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/2 c. pine nuts
3/4 to 1 c. olive oil (I don't like my pesto very oily so I use a little less than 3/4 c.)
1/2 grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (you can use regular Parmesan but, trust me, Reggiano is so much better!)
1/2 tsp. pepper

What You Do:
1. Combine all the ingredients in the blender for a few seconds.  If it's too dry and not blending well, add a bit more olive oil.

2. Push everything down with a rubber spatula then blend again for a few seconds more.  Continue doing this until all the ingredients are well-combined and the sauce is fairly thin but not liquified.  You want it to have a gel-like consistency.

3. Cook whatever pasta you're using according to the directions provided.  When you drain the pasta, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.

4. Return the pasta to the pot and add pesto.  If the pesto is too thick or not mixing well, add the reserved starchy pasta water a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency.  Serve with a little grated Reggiano on top and enjoy!

Note: When I make this recipe, I usually freeze half of it to use another time.  One half-batch of sauce with one pound of pasta is enough for about 4 people.