Starving Student – Pearl Bocconcini Salad with Pesto Dressing

May 27, 2008 by Craig Burton

Makes 2 cups of pesto sauce

Homemade pesto is very easy to make. It uses some expensive ingredients, but will still cost less than buying it premade at the grocery store or restaurant. This pesto recipe forms the base for the pesto salad dressing and creamy pesto pasta sauce. It also makes a good tomato sauce substitute on pizzas.

Pesto Sauce

• 1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 4 garlic cloves or about 3 Tbsp. crushed garlic
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup basil fresh or frozen
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Put all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend them into a smooth sauce. Pulse for about five minutes to ensure garlic is well minced.

Pesto dressing (makes 1 cup of dressing)

• 1/3 cup pesto sauce from previous recipe
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salad (per serving)

• 2 cups mixed greens or whatever you have available or prefer
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup white button mushrooms or Crimini (Italian brown mushrooms)
• 1/2 cup small tomatoes cut into wedges
• 1/2 cup red peppers sliced and left long
• 1/3 cup pearl bocconcini or regular baby bocconcini or other soft cheese
• 1 Tbsp. pine nuts as garnish

Arrange salad on a plate in the order listed above and drizzle pesto dressing on top to taste.