Pesto's Perfect Match (Recipe Included)

Force me to choose a perfect wine and food combination, and I very well might go with pesto and sauvignon blanc (though a good case can be made for cabernet sauvignon and steak!). The bite of a good pesto is balanced by the clean, crisp taste of a sauvignon blanc. This varietal often has a hint of citrus and/or floral element, complementing the basil in pesto nicely.

Pesto is a food I could not do without. Nothing says summer like turning a bumper crop of basil and tomatoes into a meal of pasta topped with pesto and chopped fresh tomatoes.

The traditional Italian method for pesto involves grinding the basil and garlic with mortar and pestle. But I produce consistently scrumptious results with my food processor and the following recipe:

2 cups packed, carefully rinsed basil leaves
4-5 cloves garlic
2/3 cup pecorino romano cheese
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. pine nuts

I start by mincing the garlic in the food processor. Then add the other ingredients, and puree until you achieve a smooth consistency. Generally let it go for a minute or so, then scrape the sides of the food processor and puree a bit more so you are sure to incorporate all the good stuff!

Note I opt for romano cheese over the traditional parmesan, I think it adds more flavor (it's a bit saltier). I suppose you could use less garlic, but why do that? I've heard rumors of people using walnuts instead of pine nuts, though I like to stick with the pine nuts.

The most basic way to serve pesto as the highlight of an entree dish is to serve it over pasta, then top with chopped tomatoes. I toss a small amount (2-3 tbsp) of pesto with the cooked pasta to prevent sticking, then let people top their pasta with additional pesto to taste.