Winter Pesto

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In the midst of winter many people regret not having had the foresight to freeze batches of pesto when fresh basil was in season; others self-indulgently used up their supply much faster than they expected. In either case, here is a recipe that will satisfy pesto addicts anywhere, and can be made in any season. See all spinach recipes.

Servings

servings

Ingredients

3 cup tightly packed fresh spinach, stemmed
1 tablespoon dried basil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
1/4 cup walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup olive oil
2/3 cup grated parmesan
2 tablespoon butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Put the spinach, basil, garlic, walnuts, if using, and olive oil into the container of a blender. Blend until smooth, turning off the motor and scraping down the sides as necessary.
Pour the pesto into a container with a tight-fitting lid, and stir in the cheese by hand until blended. Stir in the softened butter and salt by hand until blended.
If the pesto is to be used as a sauce for pasta, add a few tablespoons of the boiling pasta water to the pesto to thin it out before tossing it on the pasta.