Come mid-summer, when you have an overabundance of fresh basil, dive into this simple and delicious recipe. Pesto is yummy on just about anything, from pasta, to sandwiches, salads and of course, pizza.

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup walnuts or pine nuts
2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 cups gently packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

INSTRUCTIONS
Place the walnuts and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until coarsely chopped, about 10 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper and process until mixture resembles a paste, about 1 minute. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly blended. Add the Parmesan and process a minute more. Use pesto immediately or store in a tightly sealed jar or air-tight plastic container, covered with a thin layer of olive oil (this seals out the air and prevents the pesto from oxidizing, which would turn it an ugly brown color). It will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.

NOTES
Pesto can also be frozen, in an airtight container, for up to 6 months. Try pouring the pesto into an ice cube tray and freeze. Once it’s frozen, remove the pesto cubes from the tray and put them in a resealable plastic bag or airtight container. You can add the frozen or defrosted cubes to soups, pasta dishes, sandwiches, potatoes and more.