A small boutique olive farm, Romley Estate, is producing world-class extra virgin olive oil and other olive products right here in SA. Every single Romley Estate product has been dreamt up, researched, made and tested by co-owner Monica – including this delicious smoked basil pesto recipe using homegrown olives from the 15-acres estate in Willunga.
Ingredients
4 cups fresh basil
2/3 cup Romley Estate Olive Oil
1/2 cup pinenuts (or sunflower seeds make for a great nut-free option)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 fresh cloves of garlic
1 tsp Romley Estate Olive Wood Smoked Sea Salt
1/4 cup pecorino or parmesan cheese, finely grated (optional)
Method
1. Clean the basil leaves with cold water and pat dry.
2. Place all ingredients (except cheese) into a high-powered blender and pulse on high for 10 seconds or until well combined, leaving a couple of chunks for texture.
3. For a plant-based pesto, leave out the cheese, but for a creamier pesto with an additional layer of intense flavour stir through finely grated pecorino or parmesan by hand after the pesto has blended.
4. Pour the pesto into a jar, seal with a lid and refrigerate to store.