Back to School!

We've just finished the first full week of school and already there have been lots of visits to the garden.  Just today, the kids in Mrs. Bergen's and Mrs. Persichetti's classes got to make and try basil pesto with Tremont mom, Alex Borstad.  It was a fun, educational and delicious experience for all!

We started by harvesting the basil from the garden. 

Everyone noticed the wonderful aroma of the basil as we came inside!

Then, everyone got a chance to help make the pesto.

We learned how a salad spinner dries the leaves.

These boys are peeling garlic.

Next, we added the ingredients to the food processor.

Everyone wanted to smell the final product!

Mmmmm....good!

If you'd like to make some pesto at home, here's the recipe we used:

Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe

INGREDIENTS

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup pine nuts, walnuts or sunflower seeds

3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Special equipment needed: A food processor

METHOD

1 Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

2 Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Makes 1 cup.

Serve with pasta, or over baked potatoes, or spread over toasted baguette slices.


We hope you try it and enjoy it as much as we did!