From the kitchen of The Beehive’s Clumsy Cook – Basil Pesto

Okay, I’m REALLY bad at this blogging business.  Back on January 1st, I made a resolution (as we all do) that I would post on the blog more often.  Well, my last blog entry was in February and it was a recipe for Steve’s walnut pesto.  Well, here we are 6 months later and I’m finally posting again and this time it’s about – you got it!  – another pesto recipe!  This time it’s basil pesto and rather than Steve – the cook in this post is me – Linda, The Beehive’s self-titled Clumsy Cook.

Now I am NOT the cook in our family and I am filled with gratitude that I married someone who not only loves to cook, but is really good at it.  Not only in terms of the deliciousness factor, but also in terms of economics and speed.  I have seen Steve whip up a tasty lunch from scratch for 10 people in an hour.  He’s THAT good.

Despite having a mother who was an awesome cook – that particular trait decided to bypass me.  I really don’t like cooking. I find it boring and a drag. I much prefer to eat and clean up – those are my skills.  However, having 3 children – it does call upon me sometimes to take over the reigns in the kitchen.  If Steve is bed-ridden (thank goodness that rarely happens) or in Rome at The Beehive, someone has to feed our children and that someone has to be me!

I’m not a total loser in the kitchen, but it’s not my thing and I am constantly having kitchen disasters of one kind or another.  It’s rare that I don’t draw blood or burn something in the kitchen.  Thankfully, I still have all 10 digits and the fire department has not had to come to our home, but it’s been a fine line.

Despite my ineptness, the other day, I did manage to make a basil pesto and pasta alla genovese.  This is one of my favorite dishes because not only is freshly made basil pesto mindblowingly delicious, but even for someone as unskilled as myself – it is very easy to make.  Summer is normally the best time to make pesto when fresh basil is plentiful.

You’ll need the following ingredients:

FOR THE PESTO:

Fresh basil – a heaping bowlful about 100 grams

Grated parmigiano cheese – about 30-40 grams

Grated pecorino romano cheese – about 15-20 grams

Pine nuts – a handful

Garlic – 1-2 cloves depending on your garlic preference

Salt – a pinch or two

Olive oil – as much as it takes, but don’t overdo it

Put all this in the blender or use an immersion blender.  The purists use a mortar and pestle, but I don’t have that kind of time so it’s the blender for me.  Add the oil slowly so that you don’t overdo it on the oil.  You want the pesto to be be smooth enough, but still have a bit of chunky factor to it.

FOR THE PASTA ALLA GENEVOSE

3 medium sized potatoes

a small bowl of green beans

500 grams Pasta – trofie pasta if possible, if not, any other short sturdy pasta such as – penne, maccheroni, sedanini

Before you start the pesto – since it really doesn’t take too much time to make – cut up into small pieces 3 decent sized potatoes and cut in halves a small bowl of green beans.  Make sure to snip off the ends of the green beans.   Put the potatoes and green beans in a pot of water and boil for about 20-30 minutes or until you can stick a fork through one of the potatoes and it’s nice and soft, but not that it disintegrates.

Once the potatoes and beans are done, drain the water.

Now boil water for the pasta.  Once the water is boiling, add a good big pinch of salt.  Put the pasta in and follow directions for cooking time.

Drain the pasta water and then add the potatoes and beans and the pesto to the pasta.  Mix until all the pasta, potatoes and green beans are well-coated with the pesto.

Put in a pretty bowl, serve and enjoy!