"Light" Pesto

I was a Little Suzy Homemaker today, or maybe a Big Leah Apartmentmaker. In addition to baking some fantastic macaroons (see below), I also whipped up some pesto with basil from my porch. This pesto is "light" because it calls for a lot less oil than most pesto. It does not taste lighter than other pestos I have had, however. This recipe calls for using a food processor, but I have read that you can make excellent (probably better) pesto using a mezzaluna to chop the basil.

Ingredients:
3 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
3 tbsp walnut pieces or pine nuts (if you use pine nuts, i recommend toasting them first)
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and ground pepper
3 tbsp extra-v olive oil
3 tbsp water

Directions:
1. In a food pro, combine basil, nuts, parm, garlic, lemon juice, and water; season with salt and pepper. Puree until a paste forms.
2. With motor running, add oil in a thin stream. Process until very smooth, about 1 minute. Makes about 3/4 cup.

We served this as a sauce over the lemon pepper papardelle from Trader Joes (highly recommended!) with some sliced grilled chicken and some sundried tomatoes. It was real good.