Recipe For Pesto (going Italian today, sorry France!)

Through organising the festival I was contacted by a fellow nurse, Jacqueline McGarry (I'm still with NMC till October), who lives in Silsden. She told me her partner, Giuliano's family have a farm in Sicily and that they make the most amazing olive oil. She invited me to their house to sample it.

I was so impressed with the oil I took three bottles away with me for Lionel to try also. Their company is fairly new so I decided to feature a post about it. As some of you may know I write for the Leeds Teaching Hospital Health and Wellbeing Department. Perfect, I thought. I'll talk about the health benefits of olive oil. However they don't need my help as they've just won a well deserved taste award. Last years harvest yielded a profile that is described as 'bitter and spicy with hints of shelled almonds , with the aroma of freshly cut wild herbs, apple and tomato".

Jacqueline and Giuliano will be selling their organic olive oil at The Clarendon Hotel Food and Drink Festival at the pub on the 1st October, I'll be buying another 6 litres (so Jaqui if you're reading this bring plenty!) Lionel liked it so much he wants 5 litres for the pub (and no i'm not on commission, but I wish I was!) The oil speaks for itself so try it.

You can buy their oil at Ilkley Fine Foods Market which runs once a month or for Giuliano's contact details see their website.

RECIPE FOR PESTO

I don't muck about toasting the nuts before, I prefer the creamier version of using them raw, which I saw the locals doing on a cookery program in Liguria. I also only use one cheese, keep it simple is my motto. It is really important to use the best olive oil you can afford for this.

INGREDIENTS

2 Handfuls of fresh basil about 1 packet from supermarket

50g of parmesan cheese

150ml very good quality olive oil (usually spend at least £15 for litre)

50g pine nuts

2 cloves garlic

Salt to taste

I prefer to do this by hand in a pestle and mortar but feel free to roughly whizz in a food processor, it will still taste better than the nasty slime you get in a jar from the supermarket. It last quite a while in glass jars, covered with oil in the fridge.

My Method

1) Put the peeled garlic into a pestle and mortar and smash with a pinch of salt.

2) Add basil leaves and smash into a rough paste, place in bowl.

3) Then roughly smash the pine nuts (I like it rustic)

4) Put paste in a bowl add oil and grated parmesan stir well then add salt to taste

5) Put in jar and cover with about 1cm of olive oil to preserve, place in fridge until needed.