Spicy Basil-Serrano Pesto

I love basil pesto for pasta or for spreading on other foods like steak, grilled fish, bread, eggs and others. Since we have fresh basil in our garden and also a thriving serrano pepper plant, I decided to kick things up a notch and create a spicy serrano-basil pesto. It turned out great!

Ted Scheffler

August 25, 2023

Ingredients:

2 cups of tightly packed fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp. pine nuts

3-4 garlic cloves, chopped

3-4 serrano peppers, stems removed and chopped into chunks

Pinch of kosher salt

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2 Tbsp. freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

Method

1. Rinse the basil leaves under cold water or in a salad spinner. Blot the basil dry with paper towels.

2. Place the basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, serrano pieces and a pinch of salt into a food processor bowl. Process the mixture until you have a creamy consistency. If the mixture is too dry, add a splash more olive oil and pulse a little more.

3. Empty the basil puree into a bowl.

4. Mix the two cheeses in until thoroughly incorporated. Then, add the softened butter and mix until it is also thoroughly incorporated.

Food & Drink, Recipes, Scheff’s Table, The Dish, Utah Bites, Utah Food

Ted Scheffler

Originally trained as an anthropologist, Ted Scheffler is a seasoned food, wine, and travel writer based in Utah. He loves cooking, skiing, music, and reading, and spends an inordinate amount of time tending to his ever-growing herd of guitars and amplifiers. Ted is also the author of the Utah Bites newsletter, which is published in partnership with Utah Stories. Before moving to Utah, Ted lived in New York City, and numerous states in the US, as well as in various countries overseas, Spain, Japan, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico. He earned a Master’s Degree in Anthropology from the Graduate Faculty of The New School for Social Research.