Hard to believe now, but when I wrote the book in 1971, Pesto seemed extraordinarily exotic. My editor had never heard of it. I still think it's one of the most delicious things on the face of the earth.
2 cups basil leaves
2 large cloves garlic
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoons pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Put all the ingredients except the cheese into a blender and blend until well mixed.
Stir in cheese.
This keeps well in the refrigerator if you seal the top with a layer of oil. This recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups.
Notes: This is pre-food processor recipe, but it's a LOT easier to make with a food processor than a blender. It's helpful to grind up the garlic first, then the pine nuts and finally the basil.
If you're using this for pasta, add about 3 tablespoons of sweet butter at the end, and stir in some of the pasta cooking water to thin it out before tossing it all together.