Using a mini food processor (which blends well and is easy to clean up), add the garlic and pistachios to the food processor, and pulse for a few seconds until finely chopped.

Use a spatula to scrape down the sides, then add the basil and mint. Blend again for a few seconds until the basil is finely minced. Pulse a few times if the basil gets stuck.

Add the olive oil and salt, then blend again until smooth (using your spatula when needed to clean the sides so everything blends evenly).

Add the cheese and blend (or pulse a few times) to combine.

Taste and adjust — now’s the time to add more garlic, lemon juice, nuts, cheese, or salt if needed.

Add the optional dash of fresh lemon juice or zest — it just adds a special layer of flavor that's fabulous.

That's it! It's done. Now the fun part: how to serve it.

Mini food processor and a Microplane for zesting

Serving Ideas:

Grilled cheese with basil pesto

Pork tenderloin roasted with parsley pesto in the middle

Rack of lamb with basil and mint pesto — and fries!

Carrots with basil dill pesto to dip

Pasta and pesto packed for school lunch

Leftover pesto & cream with pasta

Leftover roast sirloin with pesto

Pesto on tartines

Pesto on a fresh, ripe summer tomato — simplicity is often the best

Pesto served as a veggie dip

Tartines with pesto and other tasty nibbles

Pesto on radishes for an easy first course

First course: roasted pepper, a piece of focaccia, one Greek olive, and a dollop of pesto — all leftovers

Pesto on carrot flan for a party

Dill pesto for leftover chicken

You can even make pea pesto! 

All you need to make your pesto in a flash is a few ingredients and a mini food processor. When you have some pesto on hand, you'll find a way to use it — with leftover chicken, a dollop on ravioli or soup, baked on whitefish, on pizza, in salads, and on sandwiches.

I served pesto and veggies for apéritif at one Friendsgiving dinner. The kids devoured it — all but one tablespoon, which I saved. The next day, my son's friend Quran said, "Hey, do you have any more of that pesto left for my turkey sandwich?" (I never throw away even the smallest amount of leftovers!) He spread the last bit of pesto on toasted bread, topped it with turkey, and melted Havarti cheese. It was delicious!

Leftover turkey with pesto and melted Havarti

Thanks, Quran, for that delicious idea! Please write to me and let me know what you do with your pesto.

You can serve pesto in so many ways and make so many variations by modifying this basic recipe — use walnuts and almonds instead of (or with) pine nuts. Skip the cheese or use Romano or Comté. And of course, you can change herbs. Here are some more ideas: 

Parsley and dill pesto