presto pesto- three weeks and counting

For a large party once you’ve established the guest list, sketched out the menu, and sent out the invites it’s time to make what you can ahead of time to stow in your freezer. Pesto is an invaluable deep freeze staple. It can be made weeks or months ahead of time. For one of the sides for my dinner for twenty I’m serving pistachio pesto on fusilli. The beauty is I can make the pesto almost a month ahead of time and it is really best served room temp. Meaning I can cook the pasta, toss with the pesto earlier in the day, stash it in the refrigerator in a large zip-loc bag before setting it out in its serving dish just before the first guests arrive.

One of the modern miracles of hydroponics is that fresh herbs are available year-round. No need to wait for your own August bumper crop to make a double batch (or two) of this vibrant pesto made with basil, mint, pistachio nuts, soy sauce and Tabasco.

In a food processor chop the garlic.

Add the pistachios, Parmesan, olive oil, basil, mint, soy sauce, Tabasco and salt.

Pulse until just smooth.

This recipe doubles well (note- do not make more than a double recipe at a time in the food processor) It also freezes wonderfully for up to three months. To serve defrost the pesto (preferably overnight in the refrigerator), cook the pasta until al dente, drain, toss with the pesto. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Or you can do what I did and cook and toss the pasta earlier in the day, place in large Zip-loc bags in the refrigerator before spooning it into your serving dish before your guests arrive.

(For more tricks of the trade in creating a dinner for twenty click on the previous post and stay tuned for more to come)