This simple pesto recipe is super quick and easy to whip with a blender or food processor. Plus it tastes sooo much better than the store-bought version!
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Ingredients
2 cups fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoon pine nuts
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 whole cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
4 pieces bacon
1 box penne pasta
Directions
- Heat a frying pan or skillet to medium-high heat. Cook bacon to your desired crispiness, then remove to a paper-towel lined plate.
- Add 1 cup basil leaves, pine nuts, salt, pepper, parmesan, and garlic cloves into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to get everything broken up and crumbly. Add the rest of the basil into the bowl and put the top back on. With the motor running, pour in a slow steam of olive oil until smooth. Throw in your cooked bacon and pulse a few times until the bacon is chopped into small pieces and combined with the pesto.
- Cook penne in salted water according to the instructions on the package. Drain the pasta and return it to a dry pot. Mix in pesto a few spoonfuls at a time. (You may end up with extra pesto, depending on how you like your pasta.) Serve immediately.
