At this point in the summer, your basil plants are likely to be tall and very bushy, especially if you’ve been diligently pinching them back to keep them from flowering. It’s a good time to cut the plants back drastically so you can harvest the leaves and make a big batch of pesto sauce to freeze for the months ahead. It’s amazing how cheaply pesto can be made at home.

Most pesto recipes call for fresh basil leaves, grated Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper. The proportions vary however, so you may have to experiment until you find the right flavor for you.

Basic Pesto Sauce

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, removed from stems and rinsed
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)
• 1/2 to 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
• salt and pepper to taste

Put the basil and garlic in the bowl of a food processor or small food chopper. As it runs, slowly drizzle in olive oil till the mixture is pureed. Add the pine nuts and Parmesan, and process to mix. If it’s too thick, add more olive oil or a bit of water. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This mixture can be frozen in plastic bags or small plastic containers.