Basil non-pesto
When I first made Basil and Walnut Green Beans Andrew and I couldn’t quite place the familiar taste. Then we realized the dish was very similar to pesto, only without the assault of garlic. While I love pesto, I often avoid it in restaurants since I never know how socially acceptable I’ll be after I lick my plate clean. So, since Lisa’s avoiding dairy, you want quick and simple, and I have a bumper crop of basil, here is my non-recipe for non-pesto. It’s fast and very flexible. As long as you have basil and walnuts, you can tweak it to your individual palate.
Garlic-Free Pesto
Printable recipe
Makes as much as you want
Ingredients
- angel hair pasta
- butter or olive oil
- garlic, smashed with skin discarded (optional), no more than 2 large cloves for 4 servings
- walnuts, chopped, 1 small handful per serving
- walnut oil (optional)
- fresh basil, minced, 1 generous handful per serving
- salt and pepper to taste
- Parmesan (optional)
Instruction
- Bring a pot of lightly salted water to the boil.
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. Remember, angel hair pasta is ready in less than 4 minutes, so don’t let it overcook.
- Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Melt the butter or add olive oil. You want to use a generous amount since it forms the basis of the sauce.
- If using garlic, smash the clove and gently saute in the hot fat for 2 minutes. Discard the garlic. (Note: To smash a clove, simply place the blade of a large knife flat on the clove and hit the blade with your fist. You want to break the clove to release a bit of the oils, not pulverize it.)
- Add the walnuts, stirring until you begin to smell them toasting.
- If using walnut oil, add a glug to boost the flavour.
- Add the basil. Toss quickly until the leaves turn bright green and are just beginning to wilt.
- Remove from heat.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Toss in grated Parmesan, if using.
- Add a generous amount of sauce to a moderate portion of pasta.
- Be sure to check your teeth for bits of basil before going out in public.