Recipe of the Week: Homemade Pesto Pasta

Fresh basil is easy to come by this season – just ask our Oaks & Acorns columnist, who is this year.

And since it's so plentiful, why not pick up a box (or go pick some from your garden) and make a refreshing, tasty spread the whole family will love? All of these ingredients can be found at Kroger or in Rochester Hills. To make homemade pesto, you'll also need a food processor.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 packed cups of basil leaves
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 c. walnuts or pine nuts
• 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 pkg. thin spaghetti

Directions:

Using your food processor, combine the basil, Parmesan cheese, garlic, nuts, oil and salt. Blend until it's almost smooth, occasionally scraping the sides of the food processor to ensure all ingredients blend evenly.

Meanwhile, cook the thin spaghetti. After draining – and while still hot – toss the pesto mix with the spaghetti until the spaghetti is coated evenly. Garnish with a sprig of basil and serve hot.

If you don't use all of the pesto sauce, you can put it into a bag and refrigerate or freeze it.

Do you have a recipe you want to share? E-mail editor Jen Anesi at jen.anesi@patch.com to have your recipe featured as "Recipe of the Week."