Pesto Snacks Food

PROPER PESTO

Steps:

• Crush garlic and pinch of kosher salt in a mortar with the pestle until garlic is mashed and paste-like, 1 or 2 minutes. Add basil in 3 or 4 additions, crushing and pounding down the leaves until they form a fairly fine paste, about 8 minutes or more depending on size of leaves and thickness of stems. Add and pound in pine nuts.
• Transfer a handful of grated cheese to mortar and pound into the sauce. Add another handful of cheese and incorporate into the mixture. Continue adding cheese a handful at a time until completely incorporated, about 5 minutes.
• Drizzle in olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time, pounding it into the sauce. When all the olive oil has been added and emulsified into the mixture, transfer pesto to a bowl and drizzle surface with olive oil.

BASIC PESTO

Steps:

• Pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor or blender until the basil is finely chopped.
• With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil and puree until emulsified. Stir in the Parmesan. To store, transfer to a container, cover and refrigerate up to 5 days.

SHAMROCK PESTO SNACKS

Steps:

• You only need three ingredients to make this St. Paddy's app: puff pastry, pesto and an egg. Roll out a sheet of thawed puff pastry into a 12-by-14-inch rectangle on a floured surface and cut a 1/2-inch-thick strip from one long side (for the stems). Spread pesto on the rectangle, then roll both long sides toward the middle until they meet (see below). Cut the log into 1/2-inch-thick slices and pinch the bottom of each slice to form a heart shape. Arrange three hearts together on a parchment-lined baking sheet to create a shamrock shape, using beaten egg to "glue" the sides together. Cut the reserved strip of dough into stems; lightly press onto the shamrocks and brush the stems with more beaten egg. Bake at 400 degrees F, about 15 minutes.

PESTO SNACKS

Steps:

• Biscuits should be individually sliced. Squish each one flat to look like a mini pizza.
• Add two tsp of pesto on top of each biscuit.
• Add one slice of tomato on top of each.
• Sprinkle parmasan cheese on each.
• Bake 400 degrees for 8 minutes
• Serve warm.