The best of pesto

Born into three generations of restaurantures and (even more Italians), I come by my love of food and family honestly. My restaurant concepts were built around the idea of bringing people together for a long meal—those long Sunday dinners that seemed to last all day. 

One of the first recipes I learned to cook is a simple pesto. It’s one I like to share with others because it’s easy and versatile. A pesto can be used on pasta, spread on a sandwich, or as the base of a salad dressing. 

Here’s what you’ll need to start:
2 cups (packed) fresh basil
0.5 oz garlic (4 large cloves)
1/2 cup walnuts
1 ¼  cups olive oil
1/2 cup fresh lemon Juice (zest and juice)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

How to:
Combine basil, garlic and nuts in a food processor.
Add oil until combined. 
Next, add fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. 
Pulse in cheese. 
Salt and pepper to taste. 
Serve with fresh baguette, pasta or grilled salmon.