Serial Pesto

Soapboxes. I have lots of them. I may need a new shed to keep them all in. One of them involves hommus. You know, that ancient dip made of chic peas, tahini, lemon, garlic, salt, dressed with oil and a little cumin. My soapbox started when hommus began appearing in dip form as all kinds of things - beetroot, sweet potato, you name it, it was being called hommus. Why does this drive me cray cray? I know, I should be more like Elsa and let that shiz go.

Who knows, but hommus is a thing, and beetroot and chic peas made into a dip are another thing. However, I decided that my rage at consumer products was quite pointless, and the best solution was for me to practice what I preach and become all one with this concept and use up a stack of leftover basil. So I did. And I have now mashed up two completely separate things that should never be together and made them into a very tasty dip, spread or stuffing. I'm ready for your call Woolworths and Coles purchasing departments, and without further ado, I give you, Chickpea Pesto.

Tools:

Blender

Ingredients:

1 can chic peas drained (reserve liquid)

juice 1 lemon

2 cloves garlic roughly chopped

1 large bunch fresh basil, leaves picked off stems

flake salt + pepper for seasoning

1/2 olive oil

2T toasted pine nuts

2T nutritional yeast flakes

Let's DO This!

1. Add chic peas, basil, garlic, lemon, pine nuts, pepper and salt to blender.

2. Start processing, adding in the olive oil in a steady stream. If you would like your pesto a little looser, you can add in some of the reserved liquid from the chic peas to moisten.

3. Taste for flavor and texture.

4. Serve as a dip with flatbread as part of a mezze, use on a burger, in sambos, in stuffed field mushrooms, or wherever you fancy this tasty devils spawn!