We have a medium sized walnut tree in our garden and also grow some parsley and garlic. Our walnuts are a good deal smaller than those you can buy in the shop - but in our view taste better (but we are biased!). A few years ago Mrs Oregano saw a pesto being made with walnuts and parsley on a TV programme (Ainsley Harriot?). She did not write down the quantities but we managed to work out how to make it, this is what we do...
Fills a 300 g Jar (e.g. a sterilised salsa jar)
Ingredients
80 g parsley (we generally use flat-leaved but curly will work too)
50 g parmesan (or similar hard) cheese
50 g walnuts
3 garlic cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
50 ml olive oil + some more for topping up the jar
50 ml walnut oil
Method
1. Wash and dry the parsley
2. Grate the cheese
3. Grind the walnuts in a food processor and add cheese, garlic cloves, salt and pepper
4. Add about 1/2 of the wild parsley and blend
5. Repeat with the remaining parsley
6. Add the olive and walnut oil about 25 ml at a time and blend
7. Put in sterilised jar and top up with oil so that the pesto is covered and close lid.
Tip
We often find that the walnut pesto sticks to the pasta in lumps when serving. To fix, add a little hot water to the pasta/pesto mix and stir.
2007-04-30 @ 18:17