I have too much basil.

[i-need-a-martini]

Other than a pesto, how else can I use up heaps of the stuff?

Any ideas?

[icyfroth]

omg don't introduce him to rosemary they'll breed like rabbits

[i-need-a-martini]

Here is old Franks recipe. He's the old Italian guy next door. He adds about 10 cloves of garlic - nearly killed me (and everyone I breathed on the next day) the first time I made it.

This makes about 2 jars and takes about 10mins.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups of basil leaves tightly packed.

half a cup of pine nuts. Toast in oven 180 degrees

1 cup of parmesan grated really thickly. Not like you would do on your pasta. You might want to add more parmesan - just keep tasting it as you go.

1 small garlic cut in quarters (can add up to 4 if you like your garlic)

olive oil. Quarter of a cup off the top of my head. Extra virgin only.

lemon juice. Optional. Taste as you go. I quite like the tangy taste.

PROCESS

Throw all in processor (I have one of those hand held bamix thingies) until chopped up. But don't chop too much cause you want the pine nuts to be crunchy.

Keep the processor going and add oil and some lemon juice slowly until you get a consistency you like. But be careful that you don't make it too oily or too lemony - you can always add more later. Just keep tasting it. Should be chopped just enough to stick everything together.

[i-need-a-martini]

Last line should read - Should add just enough oil for everything to stick together. Paste like on a spoon.

[katydidthat]

Thanks, Martini 🙂

Did you know that basil is a natural mosquito repellant?  Lovely stuff!!!!

[the_bob_delusion]

Oooooo, I love basil. Thai, sweet basil... all good.

I just pick them off and snack on it. 

I also grow mint and spearmint and together with basil make Vietnamese rice paper rolls. Healthy stuft. 😄

[i-need-a-martini]

I've never pictured you with a green thumb bob. 

[the_bob_delusion]

well, I was trying, these herbs grow like weeds. Most of my other stuft except for spring onions died. I just watch my lettuce grow and grow until it seeded. Can't be bothered eating most of my veggies coz' it's such hard work watering them everyday then realising I could've bought heaps for a dollar or two:|

[soul_art]

Thanks martini 😄

How long does it last? or do you pour extra olive oil on top to keep it longer?

[i-need-a-martini]

No oil on top soulart - would probably just soak in and make the whole thing too oily. And oily pasta is yuk.

Not sure how long it lasts as we usually eat it within weeks. A good long while I imagine. My mum tells me if you fill the jar to the top and there is no air in it then it lasts longer.

And apparently you can freeze it forever.

When my neighbour gives a jar of his to me, it stays in the fridge for MONTHS and MONTHS cause it's too garlicky for me. And then husband gets sick of looking at it and throws it in to some bubble and squeak thing for himself. When I question his common sense, he tells me he smelled it first and it still smelled delicious.

But I wouldn't trust him - he eats anything. 

[soul_art]

Hahaa! another man with iron guts?

Well, as long as it last for weeks.  Would use it all by then, or just freeze some.

now I'm hungry....