My basil has finally reached the plentiful stage after three days of
unseasonal heavy rain a couple of weekends ago.

We can only eat so much caprese salad so I'd like to make pesto with
some of the bounty and freeze it.

Do I just process the leaves in olive oil and freeze, then add the
cheese, garlic and pine nuts before serving?

Reminder to self: find those ice cube trays!

Thanks in advance for any help and advice.

gloria p

In article >,
Gloria P > wrote:

> My basil has finally reached the plentiful stage after three days of
> unseasonal heavy rain a couple of weekends ago.
>
> We can only eat so much caprese salad so I'd like to make pesto with
> some of the bounty and freeze it.
>
> Do I just process the leaves in olive oil and freeze, then add the
> cheese, garlic and pine nuts before serving?
>
> Reminder to self: find those ice cube trays!
>
> Thanks in advance for any help and advice.
>
> gloria p

You can do either. Some people say not to add the cheese until serving,
even if you process the rest up together to freeze. I usually throw it
all in the food processor and bag it up in 1/4 cups and freeze it. I
can't tell the diff of cheese frozen vs cheese added.

But pesto is a summer breeze in the middle of winter. mmmm.

Gloria P > wrote:

>My basil has finally reached the plentiful stage after three days of
>unseasonal heavy rain a couple of weekends ago.

>We can only eat so much caprese salad so I'd like to make pesto with
>some of the bounty and freeze it.

>Do I just process the leaves in olive oil and freeze, then add the
>cheese, garlic and pine nuts before serving?

It's best to leave out the cheese and include the olive oil.
The other ingredients you can do either before or after
freezing. I find it most convenient include everything
but the cheese.

Steve

On Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:39:21 -0600, Gloria P
> wrote:

>
>
>My basil has finally reached the plentiful stage after three days of
>unseasonal heavy rain a couple of weekends ago.
>
>We can only eat so much caprese salad so I'd like to make pesto with
>some of the bounty and freeze it.
>
>Do I just process the leaves in olive oil and freeze, then add the
>cheese, garlic and pine nuts before serving?
>
>Reminder to self: find those ice cube trays!
>
>Thanks in advance for any help and advice.
>
>gloria p

Hi Gloria,

For years, we made the complete pesto, spooned it into ice
cube trays, froze it, and then dumped the "chunks" into
plastic bags for long term storage in the freezer.

That method worked perfectly.

All the best,
--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

Steve Pope wrote:
> Gloria P > wrote:
>
>> My basil has finally reached the plentiful stage after three days of
>> unseasonal heavy rain a couple of weekends ago.
>
>> We can only eat so much caprese salad so I'd like to make pesto with
>> some of the bounty and freeze it.
>
>> Do I just process the leaves in olive oil and freeze, then add the
>> cheese, garlic and pine nuts before serving?
>
> It's best to leave out the cheese and include the olive oil.
> The other ingredients you can do either before or after
> freezing. I find it most convenient include everything
> but the cheese.
>
> Steve


Thanks. Will the nuts get soggy if they are frozen in oil?

gloria p

Gloria P > wrote:

>Thanks. Will the nuts get soggy if they are frozen in oil?

Not that I have noticed.

You could, I guess, try it both ways, for future reference...

S.

On Sep 5, 6:39*pm, Gloria P > wrote:
> My basil has finally reached the plentiful stage after three days of
> unseasonal heavy rain a couple of weekends ago.
>
> We can only eat so much caprese salad so I'd like to make pesto with
> some of the bounty and freeze it.

guess what? You can put whole basil leaves in a ziploc baggie and
freeze it for later. It won't turn black or get weird. You don't need
to make pesto right now, or add oil, or anything, if you don't want
to.

Karen

"Gloria P" > ha scritto nel messaggio
. ..
>
>
> My basil has finally reached the plentiful stage after three days of
> unseasonal heavy rain a couple of weekends ago.
>
> We can only eat so much caprese salad so I'd like to make pesto with some
> of the bounty and freeze it.
>
> Do I just process the leaves in olive oil and freeze, then add the cheese,
> garlic and pine nuts before serving?
>
> Reminder to self: find those ice cube trays!
>
> Thanks in advance for any help and advice.
>
> gloria p

That's what I do. I do not do ice cubes but tiny containers with oil
floating on top to prevent burn. There's always the chance I will want
basil and not pesto some day.

I freeze a years worth of pesto every summer. Wash the leaves, remove
any woody stems, put in food processor with olive oil and garlic and
pulverize till smooth. Add more olive oil till mix is smooth, but not
runny. That's it. Fill ice cube trays with mixture, freeze a few hours,
then pop them out into a zip-lock type baggie and keep in freezer till
you need them.

To use: pour a couple of tbsp of olive oil in pan, add one or two pesto
cubes, while they melt, add some parmesan cheese, stir till smooth, toss
with pasta. Add more parmesan as needed, or toss in a small handful of
shredded cheese, just before serving. Top pasta with chopped chives and
serve.

I don't use pine nuts.

Denise

"Denise in NH" > ha scritto nel messaggio
...
>I freeze a years worth of pesto every summer. Wash the leaves, remove
> any woody stems, put in food processor with olive oil and garlic and
> pulverize till smooth. Add more olive oil till mix is smooth, but not
> runny. That's it. Fill ice cube trays with mixture, freeze a few hours,
> then pop them out into a zip-lock type baggie and keep in freezer till
> you need them.
>
> To use: pour a couple of tbsp of olive oil in pan, add one or two pesto
> cubes, while they melt, add some parmesan cheese, stir till smooth, toss
> with pasta. Add more parmesan as needed, or toss in a small handful of
> shredded cheese, just before serving. Top pasta with chopped chives and
> serve.
>
> I don't use pine nuts.
>
> Denise

So we see, but chives?
>