As any Italian whether they come from the mountainous north or the sunny south , will tell you basil is the sparkling gem of an Italian garden. Its’ emerald green leaves grace a number of dishes , from pesto to pizza. It is a wonderful herb to grow in your garden and it’s even better to use in cooking.
Surprisingly basil is not native to Italy but to India where it originated millenniums ago It was later brought to the Holy Land where according to legend it grew around Christ’s tomb. This is why the Greeks use it in all their religious rites and its’ name is taken from the Greek basilikohn , meaning royal herb. In French it’s called l’herbe royale. Italians used it in courting rituals, wearing it as a hair ornament, as well as in their cooking The plant is rich in beta carotene which is loaded with antioxidants. It also contains the powerful eugenol that is used in combating inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
Basil is an easy plant to grow both indoors and out. Every herb garden should have it because it is a vital flavor in summer cooking. Fresh basil adds a wonderful earthy, green taste to tomato and mozzarella salad. Use it when making homemade tomato sauces or making the original pizza, Pizza Margherita. The most well known basil recipe is pesto. This easy to make Genoa favorite can be used over anything from clams to gnocchi. It's a snap to whip up and freeze. Pesto can also be combined with any tomato sauce to soften the strong basil taste.
Basil is a definite addition to any summer dish. This is the plant whose taste defines what the season is, fresh and summery.
Easy Pesto Sauce
2 cups fresh basil leaves.
1/3 cup olive oil (it has to be olive oil any other oil will not do)
handful ground pignole nuts or walnuts to taste
Parmesan cheese to taste.
Combine first two ingredients in a blender. Blend for two minutes. Add ground nuts and cheese to taste You can use it immediately o r freeze it for later use.
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