The combination of garlic & parsley in this pesto brings to mind French cooking and delicious dishes like beurre à la Bourguignonne. Ooh la la.
However unlike parsley butter or beurre à la Bourguignonne, this sauce is based on a traditional Genoa pesto, and the richness in the dish comes from pine nuts, olive oil and a shaving of parmesan (optional). A handful of basil balances the flavors nicely.
Traditionally pesto is made with a mortar and pestle, and while undoubtedly this is the best option for flavor, we see no harm in cheating and using the food processor or hand blender for this one. You’re still making your own homemade pesto after all!
Parsley give the pesto a bright fresh taste, and it’s also a nutritional powerhouse. Filled with vitamin K and vitamin C, parsley is good for digestion, detoxifying, reducing inflammation, and so much more.
Cooking Tip: did you know you can use chopped parsley as a garnish instead of lemon juice to balance out a dish?
This pesto is easy to whip up and it goes with just about everything. Try it with: garlic bread, sandwiches, grilled cheese, burgers, pizzas, pastas, roast veggies, in soup, and stirred through mashed potatoes.
Next time you see a big batch of basil and parsley at the store, farmers market, or growing in your garden, don’t think twice about making this easy parsley and basil pesto!
Parsley & Basil Pesto Sauce
Fresh parsley & garlic pair together perfectly in this pesto, alongside traditional pine nuts, basil and olive oil. A quick and easy pesto that adds a delicious flavor to many savory dishes.
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 tsp rock salt or sea salt
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup fresh parsley with stems
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp or more grated parmesan cheese*
- In a food processor or using a hand mixer, blend pine nuts and garlic together until they are the consistency of course sand.
- Wash, dry, and roughly chop the basil and parsley, and add to the food processor.
- Blend until you have a coarse paste with some texture.
- Stir through the olive oil into the sauce.
- Add the grated parmesan and combine.
- Serve with garlic bread, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, pastas, roast veggies, in soup, or stirred through mashed potatoes.
- Keeps 5 days in the fridge, sealed or covered with a light layer of olive oil, and freezes well in an ice cube tray.
*Leave out the parmesan to make this vegan, be sure to check if it is gluten free if necessary, or that it does not have rennet to make it vegetarian.
Have fun in the kitchen! You can try different combinations like mint, arugula, pistachios, walnuts or sunflower seeds. Or add some lemon juice to taste. Some pestos even incorporate vegetables like avocado, peas, or broccoli. Do you have any favorite pesto combinations to share with us? We’d love to hear your recommendations in the comments.
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At one of our favourite Italian restaurants, there is a secret. The food is absolutely stunning. The only problem is that the appetizers and salads are very large and topped with meats or cheeses that we find too heavy to accompany a main course.
One evening, while contemplating a starter the waiter commented “Sir, while not on the menu, perhaps you would enjoy the Secret Salad?”. He described it as perfectly simple. Consisting of the very freshest greens of the day, a super premium olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper, he assured me it would be the perfect light accompaniment to a full main course.
We agree, and have since adopted it as a house-favourite side salad which pairs well alongside pastas, casseroles, and risottos.
Give it a try tonight, and let us know what you think of the secret… but please… don’t tell!
The Secret Side Salad
This simple “secret” side salad brings light and fresh citrus and crisp greens as a great accompaniment to a full meal.
- 3-4 handfulls of garden-fresh greens
- 1 tbsp super premium extra-virgin olive oil
- 2-3 lemon wedges
- 1 good pinch of sea salt
- 1 good pinch of cracked pepper
- Thoroughly wash and dry the greens, tear into pieces
- In a mixing bowl, toss the greens with the olive oil, juice of one lemon wedge, and a pinch of sea salt
- Plate, and top with cracked pepper
- Serve, and squeeze the remaining lemon to taste
These crispy, flakey, delicious Super Greens Spanakopita triangles are bursting with nutritious greens and seeds, making them one of our favorite savory pastries! To feel your best, aim for two servings of dark leafy greens per day. These little parcels, easily made vegan, are healthy and a great way to pack those greens into your diet. They’re so delicious, good luck resisting to eat them all at once!
Greek Super Green Spanakopita
These flakey savory pastries, packed with super food greens, are are great for a party, lunch, or with a Greek side dish for dinner. They freeze well, so make a big batch for later!
- Phyllo pastry (usually found in the frozen aisle near the pie crusts)
- 1 onion
- 1 tbsp. olive oil for sautéing
- 2 bunches of greens (choose from swiss chard, kale, spinach, beet greens, nettles, etc.)
- 2 eggs
- 1.5 cups of feta
- 1-2 tbsp each Flax Seeds & Hemp Seeds
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 tbsp. fresh dill or 1 tsp. dried
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Pinch each of salt (pepper)
- 1/2 cup of fine extra virgin olive oil
- Special equipment: Pastry Brush
- Remove the Phyllo pasty from the freezer, and allow to defrost on the counter, while still in its package.
- Preheat the oven to 180° C / 375° F.
Filling
- Dice the onion and sauté in a pan with 1 table spoon of olive oil on medium heat until it becomes light golden and translucent. Remove and set aside.
- Wash the greens well (even if you buy pre-washed greens, its always a good idea to wash them again).
- Wilt the greens in the pan, string often until they are tender. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Once cool, use a cheese cloth, clean dish towel, or your own two hands to squeeze as much water out as possible
- Transfer to a chopping board and chop coarsely, cutting vertically and horizontally across the board to get nice small pieces
- Beat two eggs in a large bowl.
- Add the cooked onions, and the chopped greens to the bowl
- Mix thoroughly.
- Crumble in the feta, add the seeds, lemon juice, dill, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and fold through so everything is evenly mixed.
Phyllo Preparation & Assembly
- Pour 1/4 cup or so of olive oil in a small glass with your pastry brush.
- Unroll about 12″ of your pastry, covering any unused portion with a lightly damp clean cloth. Try to work quickly to avoid the pastry drying out. This part is a great job for two!
- Cut the Phyllo into strips, approx 5″ (12cm) wide.
- Place 3-4 single layers down on your work surface and lightly brush with olive oil.
- Place a second layer of Phyllo on top of each and brush lightly with olive oil again (you may not need to dip your brush in oil each time).
- Add a third layer of Phyllo… you are ready to add the filling.
Assembly
- Take 2 tablespoons of the greens filling and place it on the edge of the Phyllo furthest from you. Fold a corner over to create a triangle at its end (see photos)
- Continue folding over its ends, keeping the triangle shape, until everything is wrapped up.
- Place your Spanikopita seam side down onto a baking sheet, brush a little more olive oil on top, and a light sprinkle of paprika, for color. Repeat until your filling is all used up
Bake
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, check as needed,
- Flip them and turn the tray half way through so they cook evenly, to a golden crisp.
Notes
- Reheat in the oven for a next day lunch.
- If making more than you will eat in the next 24 hours flash freeze by placing the Spanakopita in a single layer on some baking paper on a plate in the freezer until frozen. Transfer to a air tight container.
- When you’re ready to prepare them, simply bake from frozen adding approximately 5 minutes to the cook time.
- These are good served warm or cold with a cool Greek Tzatziki dipping sauce.
While these are baking, prepare your Cool Greek Tzatziki dip… or if cooking for a crowd, try alongside an Heirloom Tomato Greek Salad and Roasted Lemon Potatoes.
Be sure to let us know what you think, below!
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