I love watering the garden. Especially in the afternoon after a hot summers day. The smell of damp from still-warm concrete and soil. Shoes off, wet grass between my toes.
Sadly, I don’t have a garden of my own to water, but there was one that I was in the care of last week, that even had a little veggie patch; strawberries that were yet to fruit, gangly tomatoes getting ever taller by the day. And bushes of basil going absolutely mad.
The garden got a good drink that warm afternoon, as I became momentarily and peacefully mesmerised by the constant drip, drip, drip from the hose. Watering the garden – it’s a kind of therapy.
I came to, gave the basil a good prune, then hey presto – I made pesto!
Raw basil and walnut pesto
Makes: 1/2 cup; Prep time: 5 minutes
2 cups basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic
squeeze of lemon juice
– With food processor running, drop in two cloves of garlic
– Stop machine and add basil and walnuts. Pulse until well chopped – I like my pesto a little chunky
– Add olive oil and lemon juice and pulse until well combined
– Store in a jar or air tight container with a little extra olive oil on top to stop the air discolouring it
It has a really nice texture! I still haven’t tried pesto in my life, is that even possible?!
Oh then you must! The stuff in jars doesn’t even compare to the fabulous colour, taste and texture of homemade. I hope you give it a try, and make it – it’s so easy and delicious! Great on sandwiches, stirred through pasta or scrambled eggs.
On scrambled eggs? Now that I have surely not thought of 🙂 My sister loves it, we used to bring to her from Italy, but I agree the home-made must be totally different, I’ll definitely give this a try, for my sister’s pleasure 😉