Q.E.D: Homemade Pesto

Consider this another edition of eat food,  save money.

If you're like me, you love pesto. You have made countless pesto pastas. You have put pesto in rice. You have contemplated eating pesto with a spoon. But you have yet to break your habit of buying pre-made pesto. It's easier, you'll say.

And you would be wrong.

If you have a food processor or an emersion blender, you can make homemade pesto and it is just as easy as store-bought pesto. And it's cheaper to boot.

Store-bought pesto, depending on the kind you get, can be anywhere from $3-$5. If you buy fresh basil and garlic, it'll cost you about a $1.50, maybe $2. You will have delicious, fresh pesto anytime you want.

Notes: I have Dorot frozen garlic on hand in my freezer all the time (I find mine at Trader Joe's. I'm being compensated by neither Trader Joe's nor Dorot for this plug). I often forget to buy fresh garlic and there are times when I feel beyond lazy and don't want to haul out my cutting board to mince it. It works great in this dish. You just have to take a couple of cubes out of the freezer a few minutes before you're ready to whir.

Bear in mind that your pesto will turn a little brown if you store it in the fridge. Worry not -- just stir it and you will reveal the bright green pesto underneath.

Some people bother streaming the olive oil carefully in the food processor while it's running. These are people who cannot really appreciate (a) the Q.E.D. or (b) the sheer force of my laziness. I throw everything in at once and start 'er up. It comes out fine every time.

Ingredients:
2 cups (or 4 oz.) of fresh basil leaves
2-3 smashed garlic cloves (or 2-3 frozen garlic cubes: see notes)
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

If you're using an emersion blender, pull out the plastic cup it came with. Alternatively, use any wide-mouth plastic cup you have on hand.

Smash your garlic cloves by laying the wide side of your knife on top of each clove and whacking it hard with your hand (no need to mince). Remove the skin and discard.

Add your basil leaves to either the plastic cup or your food processor. Throw in garlic cloves, about a 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and about 3/4 teaspoon of salt (depending on your tastes). Pour in the olive oil and whir the whole mixture around until it's blended.

Store in the fridge (it keeps about a week). Add a tablespoon or two to pasta or rice. Add a teaspoon to sauteed veggies or soups. Enjoy the fruits of your very minimal labor!