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Pesto for peeps with nut allergies


What's a girl to do when a coworker brings her a bucketful of basil? Make pesto!! I've been wanting to try a pesto recipe my friend Neva gave me awhile back. Neva has all types of food allergies, one of them being nuts, but this girl loves her some pesto... as long as she's the one making it :) I'll leave it to her own words on how to make it:

I have no clue what our recipe is! It's a true family-style one, where we just keep adding some of this and a little of that until it tastes right. My guess is it's one of those big bunches of basil from the public market, a bunch of garlic (we're usually heavy-handed with garlic, but I'd guess most people would like 3-4 cloves, since it's not cooked), grated parmasian (maybe 1/4-1/2 cups?), and then tahini (let's go with a 1/4 cup). Oh, and olive oil, salt, and pepper. There's a bunch of oil involved, I recall. We usually put the basil leaves in a food processor, along with the garlic and tahini, turn it on, and add oil as needed to make it into a paste. We stir in the cheese after that (I guess you could blend that in too - I can't think of why not), and add salt and pepper to taste. And then add all the other ingredients to taste again too! Is there maybe lemon in there also? Why not? Let's say there's juice from 1/2 lemon too, because it's always good to add a little acid to things. And, voila, there's my very accurate pesto recipe! lol


I made up a batch and spread it on some bread, and then grilled it up with some mozzarella, spinach, and mushrooms. SO GOOD! Yeah and that whole smearing some more on the plate to use for dipping sauce... way harder than they make it look on the food network! haha

19 chews:

Jessica said...

This is great for ppl with nut allergies! I actually always forget to put nuts in my pesto anyways, then always wish I did.

The pesto sounds great, but I'd kill for the sandwich right about now.

Ang said...

Yum to that sandwich! I love pesto!

Vanessa said...

YUMMY, I Love pesto. Mmmmm!!

Danielle said...

I just made 2 batches of pesto last night! I love it so much I'd wear it as a perfume...but then I would probably be licking my arm, so maybe that isn't such a good idea!

Yum! I love pesto... nuts or no nuts. I've never added tahini... it must make it creamier?

stephchows said...

Jessica- try enough you could just leave them out! :)

Mags- We need to get together, you bring the bread, I'll bring the rest :)

Ang and Venessa- I love it too!

Danielle- great minds think alike!

Megan- totally true! It really did have a pleasant creamy texture to it!

Astra Libris said...

Ooooh, I love the idea of a pesto with tahini!!! Love the narrative recipe, too - so cool! :-)

Your sandwiches look soooo scrumptious... and I'm quite impressed with your swirl of pesto on the plate!

Anonymous said...

I need some pesto in my life. Looks delish.

Sophia said...

That looks SO good! I'm really craving a good pesto sandwich now, toasted perfectly like that!

Jenny said...

no nut allergy over here (oh god, just the thought scares me..) but I would gladly eat this pasta :) I think it's great you create a wide variety of recipes for people with different dietary needs! thank you for bringing so much wonderful food in to our lives :)

Velva said...

I absolutely love pesto! Just last night, with the last of the summer basil, pesto was made! I typically freeze batches in ziplock bags and use throughout the year.
Your pesto without the nuts looks really good. The sandwich looks pretty good too!

Natalie said...

The pesto sounds yummy, and those big pieces of mozzarella in the sandwich are calling out to me, I went to the cheese shop today, now I am wishing I got some mozzarella (to go with some yummy pesto!)

Reeni said...

I love pesto!! This is so unique with the tahini, and a great substitute for nuts! YUM!

Wow, can I ramble on or what?! Next time I give you a recipe I'll try to be ever so slightly more exact. lol. Next time I see you, do I get a sandwich like that?! I'll bring the pesto. :P

BTW, this also freezes well, which is nice for a quick dinner.

Wow, can I ramble on or what?! Next time I give you a recipe I'll try to be ever so slightly more exact. lol. Next time I see you, do I get a sandwich like that?! I'll bring the pesto. :P

BTW, this also freezes well, which is nice for a quick dinner.

Natalie said...

The pesto sounds yummy, and those big pieces of mozzarella in the sandwich are calling out to me, I went to the cheese shop today, now I am wishing I got some mozzarella (to go with some yummy pesto!)

Sophia said...

That looks SO good! I'm really craving a good pesto sandwich now, toasted perfectly like that!

I need some pesto in my life. Looks delish.

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