Dill, Parsley and Walnut Pesto

Rather than relying on the usual basil, this pesto uses dill and flat leaf parsley for its bright green color and herby flavor. It uses toasted walnuts and pecorino romano instead of the traditional pine nuts and parmigiano reggiano. It comes together in the food processor in a few minutes. I find the dill and parsley are less prone to oxidation than basil pesto, which tends to turn funny dark colors in a few days of storage. This keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least two weeks. I love this as a sauce for pasta, but it’s also great on roasted potatoes, fish or seafood, eggs, toast and plenty of other vegetables, starches or proteins. I like it best when the final dish includes an acidic note from tomatoes or a squeeze of lemon juice. I find that grinding the walnuts first and then adding them back in the end improves the final texture of the pesto. If you’re feeling especially lazy (and there’s no shame in that), you can throw them in with garlic and herbs and still have a respectable pesto.