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Wild garlic pesto
A rather unique spin on the pesto recipe that we know and love, using wild garlic as a key player instead of the traditional basil. For a completely traditional Pesto Genovese, substitute basil for wild garlic and add a single clove of raw garlic to the mix.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 3-4 large handfuls of freshly picked wild garlic leaves thoroughly cleaned and roughly chopped
- 50 grams of pine nuts
- 50 grams of Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- A good splash of canola oil
Instructions
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Put a cold, dry pan over low heat and add pine nuts.
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Warm pine nuts through, tossing regularly until fragrant and lightly browned, then remove from heat and set aside.
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Add a handful of wild garlic leaves to the mortar along with a sprinkle of coarse salt.
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Start grinding with the pestle, slowly adding more leaves as they start to tear and turn to mush.
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When leaves are thoroughly mushed, add in the pine nuts and continue to mush away until well smashed and integrated.
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Put away pestle and stir in freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
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Still stirring, add in enough oil to achieve a thick, saucy consistency.
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Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Eat immediately or store in an airtight jar in the fridge.
Recipe Notes
When making pesto, I like to only lightly toast the pine nuts instead of waiting for them to turn golden brown. This makes for a less toasty, but more creamy and nutty pesto.