Place the peeled garlic cloves and toasted pinenuts in a food processor, and process for about 30 seconds until it’s well pureed and almost pastey.
Add the basil leaves to the food processor, along with the salt and pepper, and pulse it until the basil is chopped up.
With the food processor running, pour in the olive oil, and once it’s incorporated, stop the food processor.
Add the parmesan cheese, and pulse it in a couple of times until incorporated.
Do a final taste of the pesto and decide if it might need more salt or pepper. Now it’s ready to be used and enjoyed!
Notes
*Sometimes you can purchase toasted pine nuts. If you can only find raw pine nuts, you may toast them yourself, either in a dry skillet for about 5 minutes over medium heat until golden, stirring frequently, or on a sheet pan in a 350F oven for about 5-8 minutes, watching closely so they don’t burn.Storing leftovers: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freezing: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Please not that I recommend only using frozen pesto in cooked applications afterward, such as stirred into pasta sauces. The basil will brown a bit in the freezer and it won't taste quite the same.