I like Pesto...pesto on pasta, fish, shrimp, chicken, toasted on a baguette and I have been known to eat it as a dip for my wheat thins (don't judge me!)
The weather in the Midwest this spring was not kind to my herb garden and my basil just couldn't recover from the late snow and massive rains. I was in the mood for some pesto so I headed to the local grocery store to grab my ingredients.
When I began calculating the $$$$$ of enough basil and pine nuts to make my favorite stand by I was annoyed! Really???? To get enough fresh basil $16.00, pine nuts $10....need I go on??? No no no there has to be a better way (a cheaper way). This is what I came up with....can't bring myself to buy the basil but I can buy a bag of baby spinach for $1.50 that is enough to make three large batches of pesto. Still want the basil taste so I'm using Olive Tree's Basil olive oil. Spinach in the basket...now the pine nut substitution....walnuts they have a stronger taste than the pine nuts and I think they can hold their own with the spinach. Let me tell you the pesto was FABULOUS!!!! It passed the dip for the wheat thins test.
Ingredients:
2 cups spinach leaves
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
1/2 cup Basil Olive Oil
salt to taste
Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend to desired consistency. Drizzle in additional olive oil if the mixture is too thick. For addition taste drizzle with Garlic Olive Oil.
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