HOMEMADE MINT AND WALNUT PESTO- Easy steps to making pesto REPOST (first attempt lost due to internet)

                                                                          

PESTO..mmm - bella cibo italiano, food of the Gods in my opinion.  I love Italian food and with this in mind I thought I would make my own pesto.  I am currently cultivating my own herb garden and I could use the some of the fresh herbs from here to make it.  I don"t have a lot growing at the moment so I decided to make Mint and Walnut Pesto.

Pesto is a traditional mix of herbs, olive oil,  crushed garlic, pine nuts  coarse salt and Parmesan cheese all crushed down in a pestal and mortar - (food processors can be used as well)

Here is my Herb Garden - not many in there at the moment, but a work in progress

                                                                           

This is my fresh mint crop , growing well and used in lots of tea and other recipes.

                                                                          

                                                                                   

INGREDIENTS

Handful of fresh herbs - I used mint and a few wild basil leaves ( what I had  most in the herb garden)

1 or 2 cloves of garlic - more if you really like a garlicky taste                                                                   

Walnuts - toasted 

 2-3oz of Parmesan Cheese

Virgin Olive oil for best result - ordinary is also good

Zest of Lemon and juice

1 tsp of honey - if required - comes down to your tastebuds

TO MAKE:

Put the oven on high and toast the walnuts- drizzle on oil and bake for approx 5 mins - keep an eye on them so they dont burn!!

                                                                            

Wash the herbs under the cold water tap and pat dry with kitchen towel

                                                                            

Crush the garlic into a paste with the pestle and mortar

                                                                                  

                                                                        

Add the toasted nuts and cheese to the garlic and ground down to a creamy paste - leave a little  'crunch' for texture.

                                                                              

Throw the herbs into this mix, with the the lemon zest and juice and pound away 

                                                                              

                                                                               

When all mixed together add in the olive oil and salt and gradually mix to a 'pesto' consistency.

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

Add the pesto to cooked pasta and enjoy - BUON APPETITO!

                                                                                

                                                                                

If you like healthy recipes/smoothies/juices then please feel free to follow me and upvote - all comments greatly received and appreciated -