Papa's Pesto

You'll need:

• 2 cups of basil leaves ­ firmly packed
• 6 cloves of garlic - peeled
• 4 tablespoons pine nuts or walnuts
• 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup of olive oil - extra virgin is best

Equipment:

• A blender or food processor
• A spatula

1. Put the pasta water on to boil. See step #1 of Perfect Pasta
2. Wash your basil and pat it dry. Pull the leaves from the stem and take the tail off each leaf.
3. Have an adult or older sibling put the blade into the food processor. The blade is very sharp so it should be handled with care.
4. Because we started with chunks of Parmesan cheese, we put them in the food processor first and "processed" them until they looked like grated cheese. If you are using already-grated Parmesan you can add it when you add the pine nuts.
5. Pack the basil leaves into a measuring cup. Pack them firmly but not too tight.
6. Put the basil leaves into the blender. Process them a little.
7. Measure the olive oil and pour it into the food processor or blender. The weight of the oil should be just enough to press down on the leaves and move them all the way to the bottom. If not, open the blender and scrape the sides with a spatula, pushing the unchopped leaves down to the bottom as you go.
8. Add the pine nuts and process again. Make sure everything is mixed well.
9. Put the dry pasta into the boiling water ­ see Step #2 of Perfect Pasta.
10. Put the pesto in a bowl. It's just a short wait until the pasta is done.
11. Have your colander ready to drain the pasta. See step #3 through #6 of Perfect Pasta.
12. Pour the hot pasta into a bowl and take it, and the pesto, to the table. That way each person can help themselves to the amount of pasta and pesto they want.
13. Mix the pesto and pasta in your bowl and enjoy!