For the freshest and most flavorful Italian dish of all time, it’s hands down Pesto! You can toss this with pasta, potatoes, smear on a sandwich, add to a pizza or use as a sauce over grilled fish.  If you want to make a bunch and freeze it, leave off the cheese and add that after you defrost it.

·       2 cups fresh basil leaves

·       1 fat clove garlic, loosely chopped

·       1 teaspoon lemon zest

·       ¼ cup pignoli (pine nuts), toasted

·       ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

·       ½ cup grated precorino romano cheese

·       Salt and pepper to taste

In a blender or food processor fitted with the steel blade, puree the basil leaves, the garlic, the lemon zest and the pignoli.  While blending, drizzle in the olive oil until smooth and emulsified.  Check to make sure the garlic is completely pureed so there are no large chunks.  At this point, either freeze the pesto for later use or add the cheese and stir briefly, until fully incorporated.  Adjust with salt and pepper.

Toss with cooked pasta, any kind, or potatoes or use in any of the ways described above.  I find with pasta, you may want to add additional cheese and pepper.  Feel free to throw in a pinch of red pepper flakes as well.

Other uses for basil: chop it fresh and toss with fresh summer tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper for an easy salad which, served with a hunk of Italian bread is the bomb.  Slice the tomatoes and layer with sliced mozzarella for a Caprese salad.

My mom likes freshly chopped tomatoes, chunks of mozzarella and basil tossed with spaghetti for a raw sauce.  Very light and refreshing!