A twist on the typical basil recipe, this pesto combines flat-leaf parsley and some mint. It’s marvelous on sandwiches and pizza and, if you thin it out with a little pasta water, it’s a great addition to spaghetti. Shower the dressed bowl with Parmesan and serve.
– Martha Rose Shulman
2 garlic cloves, halved, green shoot removed, roughly chopped
Salt to taste
2 cups, tightly packed, flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon, tightly packed, mint leaves, coarsely chopped (optional)
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, as needed
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Freshly ground pepper (optional)
Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop in the garlic. When it is chopped and adhering to the sides of the bowl stop the machine and scrape down the bowl. Alternatively, mash with a generous pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle. Add the parsley and mint to the food processor (or to the mortar and pestle) and process until finely chopped or grind to a paste. With the machine running slowly add the olive oil and process until the mixture is smooth (or slowly work into the mixture using a mortar and pestle). Stop the machine, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the cheese. Pulse to combine.
This keeps for a week in the refrigerator and doesn’t lose its bright color.
- cooking.nyt.com