Mr. Hawthorne Makes Pesto All By Himself.

Mr. Hawthorne is making pesto today. All by his lonesome.

As you know, Mr. Hawthorne doesn't do a mise en place. And he gets annoyed when I interrupt him to shoot pictures,

so I'll just narrate as best I can.

He actually went out in my garden and picked the basil himself. I didn't think he even knew where the basil was.

Three garlic cloves.

First he processed the garlic.

Then he added in a handful of pecans.

Stuffed some basil leaves in.

Stuffed some more basil leaves in. Maybe two cups, packed.

While the processor is running, he added in the olive oil. Bertolli Extra Light. Add in just enough to get a nice paste.

Finally he added in the parmesan cheese and processed some more.

Season with freshly ground salt and pepper.

And we have a winner. The amounts of all these ingredients aren't etched in stone. If you want it more garlicky, then add more garlic. If you want it more cheesy, then put in extra parmesan. If you want it nuttier, then by all means add more nuts. Actually, the traditional recipes for pesto call for pine nuts. I'm not all that fond of pine nuts, but I love pecans, so pecans go into my pesto. You could use walnuts if you prefer. And for a nuttier, more intense flavor, you could toast the nuts before adding them.

Pesto with whole wheat pasta. Kathy, I thought you'd like the whole wheat touch.

Pesto on apple slices for a different flavor combination.