Simple Garlic and Basil Pesto

I had a ton of basil that I needed to use up. It doesn't tolerate cold at all, so it's streching it to keep it into October in Minnesota. I was struggling to choose a recipe, so I decided to try three different pesto recipes from this site. In A-typical allrecipes fashion I actually stuck exactly to each recipe so that we could truly judge them fairly. The recipes were Easy Pesto by Rebecca Jane Thompson, Pesto Sauce by Sara, and Simple Garlic and Basil Pesto by FuzzyGreenMonkey. My favorite was Easy Pesto. It had a nice nutty flavor because of the toasted almonds. It's also nice if you don't have much basil on hand because it uses half as much as the other recipes. My husband liked Simple Garlic and Basil Pesto the best, it was my close second. The parmesan cheese and pine nuts really make that recipe. We both agreed that by far our least favorite was Pesto Sauce. It was very bland compared to the other two. I would attribute that to the 1 1/2 cups of walnuts. I would not recommend that recipe at all. It was a fun experiment and the other two recipes will go into my permanant file.

Ditch the chilli power, it just takes away from the flavor. Toast your pine nuts first, then chop them all in your food processer a bit, but not too much as you want texture. I somtimes use walnuts instead of pine nuts, also never use brazil nuts. Can't tell the difference. Most any type of hard oily nut will work.

This is perfect. I've already made 8 batches! The chili powder is such a great addition, adding zip but no noticeable flavor. (try adding a few dashes to a tiny spoonful if you're reticent; you'll see!) Less oil has worked fine as well, as well as fewer pine nuts when I was short. I haven't yet, however, used the Brazil nuts. ***TIP: I have heard that pesto should not be frozen with the cheese in it; it makes one of the ingredients rancid. Freeze and add cheese later.***

Due to a big basil sale at the farmers' market this summer and our market had grated parmesean on sale too the same week, my husband and I were called to task for Pesto! Especially, after his mom gave us about a dozen heads of Italian Red garlic (home grown). About 12 cups of this pesto by the end. We love it so much! We didn't have the brasil nuts when we made it during summer (added more pine nuts), but we will this summer. We added just a pinch of crushed red with the chili powder, and maybe a tiny bit less oil. SO YUMMY! I look forward to the sale this coming summer, as our frozen stock of pesto is running out!! Yes, this does freeze well, but be sure to freeze in small containers or plastic bags, not a giant 2 qt thing I did the first time, then had to thaw and refreeze. Also, we might a bit of lemon juice next time to help preserve the color, but that's because we are big "make and freeze" fans around thse parts. =)

I added some seasoned salt and red pepper flakes as I blended. Very easy to make and a great way to clear out my basil plant, which is going crazy this year. I also toasted the pine nuts first (roll around in a very hot pan until lightly browned on some but not all sides) - intensifies the nutty flavor. Delicious!

Fantastic! I warmed it and added some heavy cream and served it over gnocchi and it was scrumptious.

A good basic recipe - I added some crushed red pepper in place of chili powder. Also i recommend roasting the pine nuts first, and adding a bit of salt. But DO NOT put this in a blender - it will taste like pureed grass. Chop it fine or use a mortar and pestle - it is worth the extra work.

I made a half a batch of this because my basils are just babies. I omitted the brazilian nuts because I don't have any. Wonderful flavor!!!!

This was so quick and easy to make. Taste and consistancy was fantastic. I used pecorino cheese instead of the parmesan!!

I've make this all the time and keep in on hand. It's very good! I use all pine nuts - toasted first - just a preference and never have brazil nut on hand. I use a pinch of cayenne instead of chili powder. It makes enough to freeze for later. I don't use an ice tray - takes up too much space even if just temporarily. I spoon the rest in the bottom of a quart freezer baggie and fold it over to make a "log". Next time I cut off what I need and put the wrapped "log" back in another baggy in the freezer. It only takes a couple minutes for small amounts to defrost.

Good. Your average pesto sauce. I halved the oil because 1 cup seemed like way too much; I'm glad I did. I also didn't use brazil nuts, but made up the difference with more pine nuts. And I used roasted garlic and was heavy handed with the parmesan.

I thought this was quite good and easy. I've made it twice with different nut combos each time. Both were good, with no real discernible difference. I also add a little lemon juice for color preservation and to lift the taste..and a few red pepper flakes, the seocnd time..both batches were good. For those who thought there was too much oil, it may due to how you measured the basil. I found that 3 large, tight, fistfuls of whole leaf basil, provides me with 3 generous "chopped" cups. But, if you measure 3 cups of whole, then chop it, you will get fewer than 3 cups chopped, as chopped food fills a smaller volume than whole. In which case, just use a smaller amount of oil.

Do NOT SUBStiTuTE the pine nuts. I did and it was disaster, even when I toasted them. sooooo bland.

I followed the recipe to a T the first time I made this, I did not enjoy the taste of the Brazil nuts and found it extremely oily. On the second attempt, I omitted the Brazil nuts, used roasted pine nuts, and a lot less oil and found it much better tasting :) I suggest as others have, to add the parm cheese when ready to serve, otherwise it causes your pesto to spoil faster. Cheers!

I just made a very similar version of this pesto minus the chilli powder. Considering the positive feedback here, I may try it next time. To my recipe, I added heavy cream for variety and it was divine! So creamy and tasty. I used penne pasta for this dish and topped with fresh tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and freshly grated parm cheese. Reserve a cup or so of the water in which you boiled your pasta. Mix water little by little to the pasta and pesto as the starch in the water helps the pesto adhere to the pasta. YUM!

This was my first attempt at pesto and it was great! I too used walnuts instead of the brazil nuts and omitted the chili pepper. Yum!

Very easy and basic. The hint of heat os something I always enjoy and put in many foods that yould not expect it. Not HOT just a "What is that?" feeling. Walnuts work fine although we prefer the toasted pine nuts alone. The restaurant I work at makes and freezes a year's worth at a time with the cheese with no problems at all. If you use the oil right the color is preserved perfectly, if you want the added security put lemon juice in it. A food processor is much better than a blender and hand mincing is best if you have the knife skills. Finally, there is a Pampered Chef recipe that uses chicken stock instead of oil which is amazing in small batches and still really good if used 1/2 & 1/2 in the smaller batches. Great Foundation recipe!!!

delicious! I doubled the garlic and added salt. Can't imagine this without salt. It's a good basic recipe. I think I might add more parmesan cheese next time. I'll definitely make this again.

This is delicious!! Very easy and super yummy! Just used pine nuts and added extra garlic as we are garlic lovers. Made in the food processor this was a great sauce to use for pasta, sandwiches, or even as a pizza topping.

I used only the ingredients listed, I didn't experiment and add a bunch of stuff and then try to rate your recipe. The taste was very nice, everyone liked it. It was as good as any pesto I've had at restaurants. Next time I'll toast the nuts before I add them. Four stars is only because I couldn't get the basil to "paste" in my blender. I ended up adding everything just to get it to blend. It could just be my blender. I'll try adding the basil in slowly next time.

Did not use chili powder, reduced olive down to about 2 tbsp, and added walnuts instead of brazil nuts... AWESOME PESTO!

I used sunflower seeds for lack of Brazil nuts...turned out great!

Liked this recipe a lot. I did find, however, that the pesto I made was a little thick for the dish I was making. (I had a heck of a time trying to mix it into pasta.) Maybe more oil, or a little water would have helped. Tasted great though! I put chicken on top of the pesto pasta, and it was a hit at dinner time!

Made this once as directed but minus the chili powder. Thought it was good but too sharp from the parm. Made it again using mostly romano and a little parm instead and it was excellent!! Also toasted the pine nuts, added a little salt and lemon juice.

I made this recipe tonight with fresh basil from my garden. It was very good, the only thing I did different was sprinkle with a 1/2 tsp. salt and I omitted the brazil nuts. Made enough for dinner and some for another night. Thanks for the recipe, I always wanted to make homemade pesto.

I omitted the brazil nuts and chili powder. Also added salt and pepper. Didn't measure the olive oil either. Just added it until I liked the consistancy. With these modifications, this is a fantastic traditional pesto.

how the recipe is written exactly- you could play with it. I enjoyed this pesto sauce with grilled chicken and rotini(spiral) pasta. The oil is a bit much and i would recommend to cut back some(maybe 1/2 to 3/4 cup). A little salt is needed also. But over all, i will make this again and will edit and tweak it next time. Thanks for the good recipe. I also couldnt find brazil nuts so used a handful of walnuts instead.

I used a cup of raw almonds and half a cup of sunflower seeds instead of the expensive pine nuts. Toasted 'em then ground 'em. Still spectacular. This recipe is a keeper. :)

I've tried a number of basil pesto recipes and there was always something just a little off. With the omission of the Brazil nuts (I didn't have any), this recipe was simple and tasty, and is now in my recipe box. I used some of the pesto on pasta, which disappeared at dinnertime, and I froze the remainder in an ice cube tray. Thanks for the recipe!

I have made this repeatedly over the past few years and am just now getting around to rating. As it stands, the recipe is maybe a three-star, but with a tiny bit of modification, it becomes much better. I add LOTS more garlic, some seasoned salt, and more parmesan. It's a good starting point, then play around with it until you're satisfied. I have found this freezes well in ice cube trays for future use. I have also poured a thin layer of olive oil over the top and frozen in a plastic container with good results, but I don't typically need a large amount all at once.

Hi, I'm from Genoa (Liguria) where pesto sauce was born. The recipe is fine and right but we don't use chili. A suggestion: use pesto as pasta sauce (better linguine or penne) and top with boiled potatoes and string beans.

Great recipe! The first thing you notice is the dark green colour, not like store bought pesto which is usually "fluffed-up" with oil, nuts etc. One point though, be careful with the chili powder, I think I added a bit too much (or the chili powder was too hot) and it masked the other flavours to a degree. Will add it gradually next time to taste.

This is the 2nd year I made it, and it is fantastic. I did not use the chili powder as my kids can smell and taste that from a mile away, I find that using 2 TBSP of the fresh garlic gives it enough zing. Toast the pine nuts and have omitted the other nuts. I have frozen it in the ice-tray and then moved to a freezer zip-lock bag. I served it with grilled chicken strips on top of fresh pasta and my guests and family could not stop slurping it! When you sautee the chicken strips or just after you removed the pasta from the boiling water, add 3 cubes of the pesto and it will melt within minutes.

Lovely! It's my first time making pesto. Used walnuts instead of brazil nuts, and added a bit more oil.

This is wonderful!! A great use for my fresh basil plant. I omitted the brazil nuts because mine were no longer fresh. I actually measured my garlic and used a lot more cloves than I thought. I found 3/4 cup of olive oil sufficient. I also toasted my pine nuts first. Used this on Pesto Pizza by Ann Miner for a delicious meal!!

took this to a wedding reception and it was a hit. Only thing I changed was omitted the brazil nuts and just added more toasted pine nuts.

This is a great recipe! I made a couple small changes. I used 3/4 C of toasted pine nuts and no Brazil nuts. I doubled the minced garlic as I LOVE garlic and used 3/4 C of good Reggiano Parmesano. I was reluctant to try the chili powder but did and I didn't detect any chili flavor. I'm not really sure what the purpose of the chili powder is but there were no adverse effects. I will definitely make this again and again!!

Great! I added salt and pepper and more garlic. I only needed 3/4 cup of the olive oil, as I usually add chopped sundried tomatoes (packed in oil) to my pesto dishes. Editting to add that the second time I made this, I subbed 1 Cup of lemon balm (got it in my CSA box) for 1 cup of the basil. Nice variation. I also only used 1/2 cup oil and it was plenty. Love this recipe! Editting again.... used 1 cup of fresh chives the last time I made it. I also used walnuts in place of the pine nuts because Costco was out of them Worked nicely! Also added the juice of one lemon and was able to cut back on the oil a bit more while still keeping the right consistency. This recipe is so versatile!

Excellent. Doubled the ingredients, but didnt end up using, or needing all of the oil. I also added fresh rosemary and a dash of lemon juice! I poured it into ice cube trays to save for individual servings... My kids love it!

Followed other reviews and toasted pine nuts at 300f in oven for 10 minutes and then crushed/grinded them using the back of a spoon. Added them in at the very end (do not blend these in the machine ... found out the hard way that if you do it taste like grass). Left out brazil nuts (didn't have any) and will add cheese when I serve this since I'll be freezing the batch I made. Also added juice of half lemon for taste and to keep the color nice while frozen.

This was soooo GOOD! I had been using jar sauce and always had less than satisfying results. I made this pesto and added it to some ricotta cheese, mozzarella, parm, salt and pepper and used it in home made ravioli. WOW, awesome! Thanks.

Great! I didn't use Brazil nuts. I toasted the pine nuts before using. I didn't use 1 cup olive oil, I only used enough to give me the consistency I wanted. These flavors are great together.

I made this without the brazil nuts, slightly less parmesan cheese and more garlic. great recipe. I used this in a chicken pesto pasta recipe from this site and got rave reviews from family.

Made this without the chili powder, using fresh organic basil and garlic from this week's CSA box. Amazing!

I used a mortar and pestle and added sea salt as I blended. I also added oil as needed, so didn't use the full amount. This tasted excellent tossed with linguini.

This was FABULOUS - esp. for a hot summer supper. Basil from our garden. Fresh cut tomatoes, celery and cukes, yummy crusty multi-grain bread, goat cheese, and we added the watermelon salsa (goat cheese on top of that also). My grandson is allergic to pine nuts so we used what we had - almonds and walnuts. OH - and he's the one who actually made the pesto. Can't wait to make it again.

This is the first time I have made pesto from scratch. I loosely followed the recipe I toasted the pine nuts, omitted the brazil nuts, used 4 cloves of garlic (which was a bit too strong so I'll reduce that next time to just 2), and lastly I didn't measure the oil but poured it in the blender until it was the consistency I wanted.

Thank you so much for this recipe! I made a large batch and froze all of it in an ice cube tray. I put the cubes in a ziplock and froze. Yesterday I thawed some and used to put on brochutto for my daughter's 21st birthday Italian dinner party. Again, thank you.

I like this recipe, and it worked well with the substitutions I had to make. I had no nuts, so I ground up a half cup of oats and added an extra TBS of oil. It tasted surprisingly good, and I hardly noticed the lack of nuttiness thanks to the Parmesan.

This was phenomenal! I left out the Brazil nuts and just used about 3/4 c pine nuts, which I toasted on the stove. I also added just a pinch of salt, about 1/8 tsp. I tried to follow some users' suggestions to leave out the chili powder, but it was much too bland without. It adds just the right amount of zing without being too spicy (even my 4-year-old liked it). A dash of lemon juice might be a good idea for color preservation because the bright green did darken quite a lot very quickly, but that's just for aesthetic value. It took all my willpower to keep myself from eating it straight out of the blender with a spoon. I am going to make several more batches for canning and give them as Christmas presents to my family. It is so delicious!

My roommates and I made this for our "family dinner" and absolutely loved it! It tastes great on really good Italian bread...or on Ritz crackers!

Absolutely my favourite so far - used really fresh garlic/added fresh cracked pepper instead of chili powder -used walnuts instead of pine nuts (That's what I had on hand) Try a small stir fry of any combination of zucchini/onion/bell peppers/black olives/chicken tossed with good quality tomato sauce on top of linguine - Add pesto ...red wine... :)

This is a good pesto recipe. I modified it a little adding only pine nuts and not adding all that oil. I like my pesto to be more of a paste consistency. Sometimes I add a fresh tomato to substitute for part of the oil. I also added some black pepper and I always skip the chili powder.

I didn't use chili powder or the brazil/pine nuts or parmesan cheese in my version. I did use everything else, PLUS I added sun-dried tomatoes and ground black pepper and simple ground peanuts surprisingly enough, because I had no other nuts available. Oh it was so tasty... I put it over Penne pasta and the family ate it up! :)

Before I tried this recipe, I was a "red" sauce type of guy. This Pesto is simply amazing! Added bonus: Everything fit inside my Mini-Prep processor - so no need to dirty the large one.

Even after a couple of attempts and adjustments my pesto seemed far oilier than necessary. The flavor was good but not excellent. With some more tweeking it would likely come together.

I've been craving turkey pesto sandwiches so this recipe came in handy. I mixed the pesto with Hellman's mayo to put on the sandwich bread. Also added a few dried cranberries into the sandwich. It was simple, easy and the taste was exactly what I was looking for. I've probably eaten six pesto sandwiches in the past two days if that tells you anything!

It would really help if the serving size were given. I need a specific amount of pesto, and this gives me no clue of what I'll end up with! Grrrrr. Ok...now it's a day later and I made this. It made 11 oz for me. So the serving size is 1 oz per person. Recipes ALWAYS need to have the yield; the number of servings alone is meaningless. The taste is ok; next time I'll cut back a bit on the oil, which I find a little overpowering. Or, cut to the chase and buy jarred, which I'm guessing can be even better. Maybe this needs more cheese?

I used this as a base but I went wild with my own stuff after it seemed too oily. I may not have used enough basil. Anyway, good stuff nonetheless! Thanks!

Good recipe. Easy ingredients (except the Brazil Nuts) make it easy to do when you get the gumption. Good flavor, though next time (and there will be a next time) I'll add maybe some pepper or more garlic or something. It just wasn't a strong enough pesto.

All I have to say is WOW. I left out the chili powder and substituted pecans for Brazil nuts and WOW. I'm sure it would be good the original way, but I only had pecans! The garlic really gave it a kick, so if you want it with more heat, up the garlic amount! The husband fired this down in minutes. Will definitely make this again soon and often!!

Yum! I loosely followed the recipe, and the result was delicious. I used 3 cups fresh basil, 1/2 cup EVOO, 2/3 cup pine nuts (which I toasted on the stove in a dry non-stick skillet), 2/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon chili powder. It was so easy to make in my Magic Bullet -- I placed the basil and EVOO in first, then added everything else and blended until smooth. Thank you for the great recipe!

This was a great recipe, but I had to halve it because 3 cups of basil is A LOT! It did turn out great, added a little salt and a little extra cheese. Also, followed the advice of someone else and froze the pesto in ice cube tray for easier thawing and serving. Great tip!

I've made pesto with these basic ingredients before. The chili powder made this version a little different and I thought it gave the pesto a little extra flavor. I didn't have enough pine nuts so I also used some slivered almonds.

Excellent! Makes too much for two people. Will make again in smaller batch!

I LOVE BASIL!! And never done pesto before! And I was in search of a recipe to surprise my bf

The brazilian nuts and chili powder have me scratching my head. I used red pepper flake for the heat instead, and toasted the pine nuts over medium-low heat until they started to brown and they gave off a nutty aroma. Be sure to use a high quality olive oil (I use Axienda Olearia del Chianti) and real Parmigiano Reggiano (I used Montanari & Gruzza). If I could get raw Brazilian nuts, I'd be willing to try it, but they just aren't in high demand in Italy.

I just finished making this recipe. Turned out great. I reduced the amount of olive oil just a tad. Also added a pinch of salt for more flavor. Will definitely make it again.

Pretty good! I used walnuts instead of brazil nuts.

This recipe is excellent. I actually subbed walnuts the second time since I didn't have any pine nuts and I didn't notice any real difference. I just use walnuts now every time to saved expense. I do prefer it without the chili powder and 3/4 cup of oil instead. Really yummy!

Make sure that your garlic isn't too strong or cut in half (1 Tbsp) and if you use Parmesan in the shaker reduce by 2 Tbsp. I tried Tia Basil the first time and it is not as strong so the other flavors were prominent. I also reduced the virgin olive oil by 2 Tbsp and used Walnut oil and substituted the nuts for Walnuts. I used what I had. Next time I will try sticking to the recipe. It still turned out good. I am going to let it sit for several days and if still too strong will add more basil possible some spinach leaves to cut the garlic.

Very good, straight-forward classic pesto recipe.

Awesome stuff! Thanks for the recipe!

Quick, easy and very good. I used less oil and jarred garlic.

Overall, this recipe makes for a nice pesto. I omitted the brazil nuts, and I used a food processor (blender just didn't work as well). I also used minced garlic from a jar (was in a hurry), and the result seemed a bit bland. Next time, I plan to use fresh garlic, salt, pepper, a little less oil, and a little less Parm cheese. I might also experiment with a few drops of lemon juice. I will definitely make this again. It worked well in the Pesto Chicken Penne Casserole recipe from this site.

Great pesto! I used it in "Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad with Chicken, Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes" by Pam Anderson from this site. I've aldo spread it on crusty french bread and in a pesto cream sauce for whole wheat pasta. I did use all pinenuts, but that was my only change. EDIT: This is now my go-to pesto sauce. My mom sent me 3 lbs of Louisiana pecans so I always use that for the pesto. I like to slather this pesto on top of white fish before cooking in the oven. YUM!!!

Terrific w/or w/out brazil nuts or chili powder. I freeze extra in ice cube tray (then put in freezer bag) and use it all year long! Freshly grated parmesan makes all the difference.

I made this after a bumper crop of Basil in my garden! It was awesome. I froze a bunch and gave some to my Aunt. She said it was to die for and wanted the recipe. My family and I thought it was awesome and are growing more Basil for another batch. I found the pine nuts to be expensive but also made another batch using almonds instead which also turned out good.

This pesto is really good on crackers. This is the first time we've ever made it. We had it for a snack one day on crackers and another time on noodles.

It was so easy and quick. I didn't have pine or brazil nuts, so I used sliced almonds instead for crunch. It worked out perfectly. I will definitely be making this again.

In a word: fabulous. A very forgiving and versatile recipe. I've even used it to stuff small pork roasts along with provolone, red pepper and onion slices etc. Thank you for posting!

Tasted great. I used walnuts and did the whole thing in my Ninja.

Pretty much your basic pesto sauce. Instead of the chili powder I added fresh cracked pepper to it for a little kick.

I cut the recipe in thirds and spread it over thin chicken breasts before rolling them up and baking. The pesto was the best part. Will be repeating this one as soon as my basil plant recovers from the harvest.

Made it exactly like the recipe and it turned out delicious. I saw where another reader waited to add the Parmesan cheese but I didn't and it froze just fine. I didn't have an ice tray so I froze small 1/4 cups of the sauce and then took them out and put them in baggies. Now when I need pesto sauce I just grab a baggie and heat!

I made several batches of this pesto at the end of summer..I had 3 large, very vigorous basil plants and wanted to use them up. This is a tasty pesto, but too hot with the chile powder, so I omitted it and it was perfect. I also used walnuts instead of pine nuts and Brazil nuts. I froze most of it and it has kept well.

Very easy and tasty recipe but I would use less oil than recommended. I just used this one and found it to have far too much of an oily taste for my preference.

I left out the pine nuts (didn't have any) and the chili. Added 1/2 cup of the olive oil at the begining of the process since I couldn't get the basil to grind in the blender using the called for TBSP. Also used less garlic (just my taste) and added some salt. Very tasty pesto by is self, but used a cup of pesto mixed with some alfredo I had already made and served it with chicken, pasta with roasted asparagus. I froze the rest of the pesto spread out in an ice cube tray to use another day.

I think I'll cut back on the oil a tad next time - perhaps I just didn't blend it long enough. I also omitted the chili powder since I was looking for a really basic basil recipe. I think next time I will try adding nutmeg. My parents were really impressed with this recipe! I tossed some elbow macaroni noodles in the pesto, added some quartered cherry tomatoes and feta (my favorite pasta dish) and froze the rest for later. Thanks for sharing! UPDATE: will definitely cut back on the oil, as the pesto did not freeze all the way when i put it in the ice cube trays as one reviewer recommended

good. froze in ice cube trays. can't taste spinach.

Fantastic pesto! I used macadamia nuts because my supermarket didn't have pine nuts in small quantities, and I omitted the Brazil nuts, but everything else stayed the same. It was great. Used it on "Pesto Hamburgers" from allrecipes and my husband said it was the best burger he's ever had.

Great idea roasting the pine nuts. ALso did not use the Brasil nuts. Who keeps those on hand? Otherwise, really liked the pesto. Great on anything!!

Easy, yummy pesto recipe. Will definitely make again! Toasted the pine nuts first in a dry skillet, shaking constantly over medium heat (oven toasting attempt ended poorly - method not recommended). Omitted the chili powder and brazil nuts - not needed. Served a little dollop alongside fresh tomatoes and fontina cheese with a drizzle of balsamic and salt/pepper to taste. So good!

Great recipe. I followed recommendations from another review and freezed in ice cubes. Hope to have the same great taste in a few month.

This was very easy and tasty. Even if you have to replace ingredients, it still holds up.

This is wonderful! I added way too much garlic and still loved it. I froze it in ice cube trays then popped the frozen cubes into a freezer bag. One cube is enough for most recipes.

This was a very easy recipe and very tasty. I did however make a few changes. I cut the Extra virgin olive oil in half, a whole cup made the pesto very oily. I eliminated the brazil nuts and the chili powder. I added a little extra parmesan cheese which added good flavor. I also added salt and pepper. Don't forget to toast the pine nuts.

I thought this was pretty outstanding, and the friends I served it to thought the same.

Very good recipe. I ommitted the Brazillian nuts as I didn't have any and cut the olive oil a bit. Delicious!