Presto Pesto

Homemade is always good. Homegrown even better - My mantra for this summer for those who have been tuning in. This is another of those beautifully satisfying posts of a most popular Italian Spread. I have tried to keep it authentic in that I added absolutely no "spicy hot stuff" and I want to say it tasted perfect - of course only judging by the gusto with which the kiddos spread away :)

My basil plants are still fledglings and while I got some of my basil from there, I have to thank my friend for allowing me to pick some from her wonderful garden.

The recipe without much further chitchat.

Ingredients
About 4 cups of basil leaves
1/2 cup of pine nuts
4 tbsp grated parmesan
2 tbsp grated Romano
1/4 cup of olive oil +1 tbsp
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 tsp salt

Method
Wash basil thoroughly
Remove basil leaves from the stem
Add all the ingredients to the food processor and blend until you get a coarse texture
Transfer into a serving dish - Add more olive oil and stir in.

Spread on french bread, have it in pasta or any which way you like
This is my green dish for Independence Day :)
And stay tuned for my Garden Fresh Gonkura Chutney.

Some pictures...

It turns dark as soon as you make it - stir to see the green above!

Stuffed Squash Blossom in Braided Bread

Since I am on a bread roll,  (lol) I thought I'd follow up my french bread post with my stuffed and braided bread - the one many of you good friends have given me the wonderful like sign for on FB:)
Keep the same bread recipe as my french bread - except after it rises the first time around
roll it out like a pizza crust. The rest of the recipe follows - this was another of my off the cuff ideas since It is that time of the year again when my veggie garden is profuse with squash blossoms - You may recall my zucchini bajjis from last year. I did not want to use the blossoms in the usual ways that have been recorded on the web. It is really easy and I would love for you to try it - Like all other works of art, this requires patience and that is no biggy for most of my creative friends, right? :)

Here we go!
Identify the male flowers and pick about 10-15.  Wash in gentle water and pat dry with paper towel - allow them to sit in a sunny part of your kitchen until you are ready to work with them

Prepare your bread dough. Let it rise for 2 hours

Ingredients for stuffing the blossoms

1/3 less Fat Philedelphia cream cheese - I used about 6 ounces of the 8 ounce box
Pesto (Mine was homemade and the recipe will be posted soon) about 4 ounces

Mix the two nicely and keep ready

Pick up the dry blossom, cut the back ends off with the stem leaving a small hole. Approach stuffing from the petal end which is wide and convenient - make sure you do not over stuff or push it too far towards the stem side hole.

Hold the flower and with a small spoon insert the cream cheese pesto mix (about 2 tsps). Press the petals close with your fingers. repeat until all flowers are filled.

When the 2 hours are up get the dough out and knead a couple of times . Split into 2 halves. I made a braided bread with one half and a plain loaf with the other.

Roll out the one half like you would pizza dough. Make sure the surface has already been dusted with flour before doing this.

Now place the blossoms gently and closely, facing opposite directions alternately (see picture below) .

Take a sharp knife and cut the sides into strips. The top and bottom corners will be slightly broader. Fold them in first, gently over the blossom. Then braid the rest of the strips, as shown in the picture.

Bake at 350 degrees or until brown at the top.
I hope you'll enjoy this!

Serve it hot :)

Stay tuned for my Masala Buns - which is the next recipe on my blog!

Homemade Pesto

I have truly made a better braid than this, but hey...