Plant basil, harvest pesto!

By Gay, July 29, 2010, In From my garden, Pasta and Noodles

Home » From my garden » Plant basil, harvest pesto!

What to do with plenty of basil from the garden? Make lots of pesto, of course! I didn’t follow any set recipe for making my pesto, just followed my taste and my feelings – garlicky, peppery, and lots of olive oil. Pine nuts, which is scarce here in GenSan, were replaced by either peanuts and cashew nuts.

Homemade Pesto

For the recipe, I followed Connie’s suggestions on making her own pesto.

Want a bottle of pesto from A Scientist in the Kitchen? Just comment on what’s your favorite pasta sauce and why? Promo until August 8, 2010 and winner/s (depending on how much my basil leaves I could harvest by then!) will be drawn by random.org. Philippine readers only, and can be shipped anywhere there’s LBC. Neighbors exempted, igagawa ko na lang kayo, promise!!!

About the Author: Gay

Thanks for reading my blog. I'm a corn breeder who also loves to eat and cook. Most of the recipes in this blog are dishes that I have cooked in my own kitchen. This blog is an off shoot way way back in 2007 when as PhD student, I had a major writer's block for writing my dissertation. So instead I turned into blogging my exploits in the kitchen. I've come long way then. getting my PhD and currently cooking in my third kitchen so far. My dog, named Pasta and I are based in Phitsanulok, Thailand.

29 Comments on "Plant basil, harvest pesto!"

jinky July 29, 2010 at 9:32 PM -

sarap!
dimple July 30, 2010 at 11:13 AM -

hi.. I am a TRYING HARD in everything, including in the kitchen.. i do not measure i just follow my tastebuds… i do hope to try this PESTO SAUCE of yours..
orman July 30, 2010 at 11:21 AM -

i want! i want! i want!
Gay July 30, 2010 at 11:34 AM -

Hi Dimple, yeah, I think just follow where your tastebuds lead you!

Hay naku, Orman, you are not following instructions! And why does your comments always go to my spam folder? hhmmm
Duckie July 30, 2010 at 12:16 PM -

Gay, I love pesto and tomato sauce on my pasta! Thus, I definitely will appreciate your pesto delivered here hehe..
Neil TG July 30, 2010 at 12:31 PM -

My ultimate grand design for pesto is to incorporate pili nuts…I think it would be the best filipinized pesto… pili is only here in the philippines. i hope if you have time you try with pili nuts… it would be a breakthrough recipe.
Neil TG July 30, 2010 at 12:35 PM -

btw, do you not incorporate parmigiano reggiano? and the ultimate question is, do you grind all by hand or by food processor? traditionalists say pesto is not pesto if not made by hand…what do you think?
liezl July 30, 2010 at 12:36 PM -

my fave is the cheese and cream sauce for my pasta for the simple reason that I find it yummy and heaven to my taste
Gay July 30, 2010 at 12:38 PM -

Neil, can’t find any pili nuts here in Gensan. And parmesan is rare here! So omit anything not found or substitute. I use a food processor Maybe if I have a bigger mortar and pestle, I might be in the mood to make pesto by hand.
teri ulat July 30, 2010 at 1:04 PM -

i love pesto, but since hubby is not very fond of pesto, we usually make pasta sauce out of fresh tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes, basil and onions. a little parmesan… instant dinner na.

can be topped with grilled chicken.
jennie July 30, 2010 at 1:10 PM -

Gay, the simpler, the better for me..olive oil, garlic and anchovy or just pesto especially if it’s free and shifted from Gen San..a sure winner!
joann glorioso July 30, 2010 at 1:16 PM -

my favorite pasta is fettucini pesto wit hungarian sausage!!! yum!!! ..my second best favorite sauce isa carbonara..

thanks for directing me to this site gay! i’m so eager to receive my botle of pesto sauce!!!
Abi Angelia July 30, 2010 at 1:19 PM -

Gay! Exempted si Neil di ba! nasa Japan na sha! Nanakawin ko na lang ang answer nya …pili nuts!! hahaha!
but if you want Filipinized … sardines!
Danielle July 30, 2010 at 1:31 PM -

Hi Gay, Galing-galing naman! of course, I like one. hahaha. Anyway, I hope to see you when I get to Davao next week ha. Thanks!
Mike Yap July 30, 2010 at 3:55 PM -

I love plain pesto sauce. The thing is, if prepared properly and when the right ingredients are used; sobrang sarap nya. I’m also not limited to pasta when using pesto. Unfortunately, I will not share my non-pasta pesto dishes here because im madamot like that.

There you go. Now give me my bottle of yummy yummy pesto. Gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme…..
Pallas July 30, 2010 at 4:36 PM -

Ayan…..dito na ako commnet. I love tomato -pesto pasta sauce combination best.
sasongko July 30, 2010 at 6:27 PM -

actually i want to try your expensive pine nuts you bought last time from paco
but pesto with cashew, i’ve never tried….
would like to try yours…your recipe…originally gay…
(never have any luck with random.org, though)
Patricia Sorongon July 30, 2010 at 8:55 PM -

Hi Gay!!! The pesto looks so good. I love the kind of pesto sauce that is just right, not to dry and not too saucy. Olive oil gives it the best touch! I’ve always known your passion for cooking back in our apartment days but i never thought you made pasta sauces as well! it looks tempting and sinful at the same time. But I would love to try your pesto. I am also a fan of any white sauced pasta.
Heidi July 31, 2010 at 1:27 PM -

Gay, igawa mo na lang ako kahit di mo ako neybor. But my favorite pasto sauce is spaghetti meat sauce with some pesto, heh heh.
reggie August 5, 2010 at 12:38 PM -

i love a simple tomato-olive oil-basil combination for my pasta. Pesto? ..depends on who makes it, and how it is made, that`s why I want to try your pesto sauce, Gay,
deanna August 8, 2010 at 8:01 PM -

i love tomato sauce with fresh basil and oregano on my pasta with lots of cheese.. never tried pesto though, if i have any luck, your pesto recipe would be my first…
chris August 8, 2010 at 9:10 PM -

I have adventurous taste buds so I am open to try any sauce for my pasta. I have never tried pesto but I like how it looks in the picture. Looks healthy too. That can surely add to the flavor. I badly want some pesto….from GenSan!!! Yey!!!
Brendel August 8, 2010 at 10:04 PM -

Pesto’s great with anything– I love it with pasta, on my sandwich, and even grilled chicken breasts.

The catch is, I almost always get rhinitis after I have pesto. Odd, yes? But heck, it doesn’t matter. It’s still pesto for me!
Jasmin August 9, 2010 at 4:07 PM -

Hi Gay.
I love pesto! Basil or sun dried tomato.. love it on crackers, bread or pasta.. Sarap!!!
Beng October 19, 2010 at 11:26 AM -

Gay!! Ako, ako! I want that pesto! Haha! I used to have basil plants pero since nasira sila nung milenyo tinamad na ako magtanim ulit. And the ravioli… hmmnn… looked yummy. I’d like to try making it too. Cheese ravioli perhaps? Ano kayang cheese ang pwedeng gamitin?
Gay October 19, 2010 at 6:03 PM -

Late ka na! hehehe