Begin by placing the pine nuts in a small frying pan over medium heat. Toast them for about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep an eye on them to avoid burning! You want them to be light golden brown and fragrant. Once done, set them aside to cool slightly.
In a food processor, add the fresh basil leaves. Make sure they are well washed and dried. Follow this with the cooled pine nuts, grated Parmesan cheese, garlic cloves, and kosher salt. Pulse the ingredients together until they are finely chopped, but don’t over-process it into a paste just yet.
Next, remove the lid of the food processor and slowly pour in half of the extra virgin olive oil while pulsing the mixture. This will help to incorporate the oil into the other ingredients effectively.
For a smoother pesto, add the remaining olive oil and pulse again until the mixture is well combined. The consistency should be creamy but still have some texture.
Taste your pesto sauce. Now's the time to adjust the seasoning. If you feel it needs more salt or a little more garlic, go ahead and add it to your liking.
Transfer your Homemade Basil Pesto Sauce into a clean jar or container. You can drizzle a little olive oil on top to help preserve it if you're storing it for later.
