Presto, pesto

parsley + pumpkin seed pesto

I’ve been making a lot of parsley and pumpkin seed pesto lately. It’s so green it’s positively beaming with health. Parsley is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K, and a good source of iron and folate—especially when you eat it in the quantity we do, smeared on a Seedy Cracker or two or three (or four). If you want to know more about parsley, click here. Pumpkin seeds aren’t too shabby, either.

Two Twits out of three swear by this pesto. Me, too. It meets my trifecta for the perfect recipe: easy to make, tastes yummy, good for you.

Parsley and Pumpkin Seed Pesto
(from River Cottage Everyday by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall)

5 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 bunch parsley (about 2 ounces)
½ to ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons parmesan cheese, finely grated
juice of ½ lemon
freshly ground pepper and sea salt

Put the pumpkin seeds and garlic in a food processor and pulse until the seeds are a coarse grain. Add the parsley and pulse until finely chopped and blended with the seeds and garlic. With the machine running, pour ½ cup oil in a slow, steady stream until you have a fairly thick, grainy paste (I prefer my pesto on the thinner side, so I stream in a bit more oil). Scrape the mixture into a bowl, stir in the cheese, then add the lemon, salt and pepper to taste. Serve on Seedy Crackers or toasted rye bread.

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Tags: parsley, recipes, twits