When I lived in the city and I was young & single, my friend, Allison, and I would go to Central Park on nice weekends. We talked about lots of things and we had a tradition of playing Top 3. We would pick a topic and we had to choose our three favorites in that category. I know—we were KUH-RAZY. I don’t remember any of my picks except for herbs. My top 3 herbs were basil, cilantro, and chives. I like a lot more herbs now but basil is still my favorite and the scent of it makes me so happy. Pairing it with fresh garlic, another smell I absolutely love, in pesto is one of my most favorite things in the world to make and to eat.
There are very few times when you can replace the fresh herbs with dried and pesto is no exception. You need fresh basil to make a really good pesto. Ideally you have a big basil plant growing in your window or just outside your kitchen. If not, pick up a fresh, bright green bunch at the local market along with a bag of pine nuts. I have made pesto with other nuts, including almonds and walnuts, so feel free to use a different nut. All the other ingredients are basic pantry ingredients—olive oil, fresh garlic, and salt. Traditionally, parmesan cheese is added to pesto and you can definitely use a vegan parm or some nooch but I think it tastes amazing without it.