Basil Arugula Pesto Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice water bath. Stir the arugula into the boiling water and cook until it is bright green and tender, about 15 seconds. Remove the arugula directly to the ice bath and let cool completely, then drain, gently squeeze out the excess water and set aside. Do the same for the basil. Once the arugula and basil are blanched, cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente.
• Meanwhile, make the pesto. Add the arugula and basil to a food processor and blend until mostly pureed, about 30 seconds. Add oil, pine nuts, garlic and salt and pepper and puree for another 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the cheese and pulse, drizzling more oil as desired, until combined but not fully pureed, another 30 seconds. (See Cook's Note.)
• Place the pesto and butter in a large bowl and add drained pasta to the bowl, reserving some pasta water to thin the sauce as desired. Mix the pesto and pasta, season to taste and crumble the slices of crispy pancetta on top. Serve with extra grated Pecorino and a drizzle of olive oil.

Steps:

• Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and drop in the garlic cloves. When they are chopped and adhering to the sides, stop the machine, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the walnuts. Turn on the machine, and process until they are finely ground. Scrape down the bowl again, and add the arugula and the salt. Pulse until the arugula is finely chopped, then turn on the machine and run while you slowly drizzle in the olive oil. When the mixture is smooth, stop the machine, scrape down the sides and process for another 30 seconds or so. Scrape out into the bowl of a mortar and pestle. Grind the mixture with the pestle for a smoother texture. Work in the cheese and combine well.

Steps:

• Place basil, parsley, almonds and garlic in a small food processor; pulse until chopped. Add lemon zest, juice, honey and salt; process until blended. Continue processing while gradually adding oil in a steady stream. Add cheese; pulse just until blended., Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Freeze option: Transfer pesto to ice cube trays; cover and freeze pesto until firm. Remove from trays and transfer to a resealable plastic freezer bag; return to freezer. To use, thaw cubes in refrigerator 2 hours.

Steps:

• Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet until lightly browned; let cool. Pulse in a food processor until finely ground.
• Add the arugula, basil and 1/4 teaspoon salt and pulse until finely chopped.
• Add the parmesan and pulse to combine.
• Slowly pour in the olive oil, pulsing to incorporate. Transfer the pesto to a bowl and stir in the ricotta. You'll have about 1 cup pesto; use about 1/2 cup for 1 pound pasta.

Steps:

• Place all ingredients but the oil in food processor and pulse till chopped.
• Pour oil through feed tube while processing till creamy.

Steps:

• For the garlic confit. Heat 1/2 cup of the olive oil in a small pan over low heat until warm. Add garlic cloves and cook until very soft, about 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the garlic cloves, reserving both cloves and oil.
• For the pesto: Have a large bowl of ice water ready. In a small pot over high heat, bring 4 cups of water to a boil, and blanch basil or chervil until tender, about 30 seconds. Remove with slotted spoon and transfer to ice water. Place spinach and arugula in boiling water until bright green and tender, about a minute. Drain well and transfer to ice water. When greens are well chilled, drain well, place in a kitchen towel, and squeeze as hard as possible to remove excess moisture.
• In a blender, combine half the garlic cloves, half of the garlic cooking oil, half of the blanched greens (basil or chervil, spinach, and arugula), half of the hazelnuts and half of the ricotta salata. Blend five minutes.
• Add the remaining garlic cloves, garlic cooking oil, blanched greens, hazelnuts and ricotta salata. Blend, adding 1/4 cup additional olive oil, or more as needed, for two to five minutes, to make a thick but pourable pesto. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Blend one minute more. If desired, serve over hot linguini or other pasta.

Steps:

• Place 1/2 cup oil and next 6 ingredients in processor. Process to thick paste. With motor running, add remaining 1/4 cup oil and 2 tablespoons water to processor. Blend until smooth. Season pesto to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Pour thin layer of oil over pesto; cover and chill.)