Pesto Baby!

Basil Pesto by the numbers.

Ratio

1 part pine nuts

2 parts Parmigiano Reggiano

4 parts packed basil leaves

Oilve oil to smooth to the desired consistency

Garlic to taste

I first start by processing the Parmigiano Reggiano fine, I pour it into a bowl. Then I do the same with the pine nuts and put with the Parmigiano. I then pack the basil into the processor and begin to process adding olive oil through the feed tube, processing to a thin paste. I add the ground pine nuts and cheese, and garlic, and process some more adding oil as I go. I taste and adjust to my taste as some garlic can be "hot" I add the garlic slowly tasting as I go. you can sub the pine nuts with walnuts and the cheese with Pecorino Romano as well it will give you as sharper saltier pesto.

Sausage Everywhere

Sausagefest 2012 (wait... what?)


Hot Italian Sausage
25lbs pork shoulder
1 1/2 cup cracked fennel
2/3 cup red pepper flake
1/2 cup black pepper
1/2 cup salt
2/3 cup sweet paprika 
4 cups ice water.


Cut up your meat into 2-4 inch pieces depending on your grinder, a day before, you'll be tired of looking at pork.
Grind the sausage with a course grind. Drink a beer, you've worked hard. Mix the spice mixture and water into the ground pork, your hands will be messy, have someone pour beer into your mouth. Cook a sausage patty, taste, and adjust your seasonings. Your hands should be clean, pour yourself a beer, try to keep all of your ingredients very cold at all times.


Put the mixture into a sausage stuffer, use any kind of casing you'd like, follow the directions on the casing package you can't go wrong.


Stuff'em, eat them with peppers on good Italian bread, and, may I suggest, also with a nice beer.