Pesto

Ingredients

2-4 cloves garlic	3 cups basil, firmly packed
2/3 cup olive oil	1/3 cup water
1/4 t salt	1/8 t pepper

1/2 cup walnuts (or pine nuts)

Directions

Blend together everything except the nuts. Blend as little as possible. Add the nuts and blend about 10 second. Pesto should contain small pieces of leaves and the nuts should be just broken up, not pulverized. Remember that pesto was traditionally made by hand and you don't want modern appliances to give it a baby-food consistency.

Serve over warm pasta (I like penne) with parmesan or romano cheese.

Notes

Based on a recipe from the Pesto Manifesto by Lorel Nazzaro published by Chelsea Green Publishing by way of www.care2.com/channels/solutions/food/470