Paula Stanghetta June 27, 2021It’s that time of year again when gardens are in bloom and herbs are needing to be harvested. Many Italians keep gardens – whether on their balcony or in their backyards. It’s no surprise they value quality ingredients given that their food is so popular around the world. If you’ve got mint on the mind, an excellent way to use it is by making mint pesto. It can be eaten fresh or stored frozen for up to 8 months. Either way, you can’t go wrong with this fresh amuse-bouche to add to your home cooked appetizers and meals!
The Italian word for pesto is “pestare” and it means to pound or to crush. Pesto was originally made with the ingredients crushed in a circular motion by a woden pestle in a marble mortar. It may come as no surprise that “pesto” can be used to describe anything that’s been pounded or crushed since there are so many variations of this delicious sauce. We enjoy making mint pesto and kale pesto, but have experimented with other flavours as well.
We have northern Italy, specifically Genoa in the Liguria region, to thank for pesto. Even though it’s been made for centuries, some things just don’t change. Garlic, basil, olive oil, pine nuts, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese continue to be staple ingredients in this flavourful sauce.
To see the pesto making in action, head on over to our Instagram account and find our Mint Pesto reel! Make sure to stay tuned for our online cooking experiences with talented guest chefs and bakers.
What are your favourite ingredients to include in pesto? There are so many to choose from!
Mint Pesto
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Measuring Spoons
- Measuring Cups
- Large Bowl
- Medium to Large Sauce Pot
- Slotted Spoon
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2/3 cup hot tap water
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 4 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup whole raw unsalted almonds with skins
- 2 cups packed leaf parsley thick stems removed
- 4 cups packed mint leaves thick stems removed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- pinch ground black pepper
Instructions
Toast the Almonds
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until they are fragrant. Remove from oven and let cool while you blanch the mint and parsley.
Blanch the Herbs
- Boil a large saucepan of water and set a bowl of ice water next to the stove.
- Add mint and parsley to the boiling water. Leave it for 5-10 seconds, or until just wilted.
- Transfer mint and parsley to ice water with a slotted spoon. Swish herbs around for 30 seconds.
- Drain herbs into a colander and use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
Make the Pesto
- Put all ingredients into the food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
- Adjust speed to "continuous" and blend ingredients until creamy. (Option: you can leave it chunkier if you prefer.)
- Add more salt and pepper as desired.
Store the Pesto
- Transfer pesto into glass jars.
- Fresh pesto can stay in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 12 months. (You can also store it in ice cube trays in the freezer if you want smaller portions!)
