1 big handful of fresh basil
1/2 Tsp of salt
1 1/2 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 Tsp of pinenuts
30g of parmesan cheese, freshly grated
The secret to a good pesto sauce is to chop everything by hand as it creates a combination of sizes that otherwise would be too uniform.
Start chopping the garlic along with about 1/3 of the basil leaves. Once this is loosely chopped add more basil, chop some more, add the rest of the basil, chop some more. At this point the basil and garlic should be a very fine mince. Add about half the pine nuts, chop. Add the rest of the pine nuts, chop. Add half of the Parmesan, chop. Add the rest of the Parmesan, and chop. Taste and season with salt if needed. In the end you want a chop so fine that you can press all the ingredients together and having them hold together a bit like a cake. Transfer the pesto "cake" to a small bowl Cover with a bit of olive oil, it doesn't take much, just a few tablespoons.
You can set this aside or place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. Just before serving give the pesto a quick stir to incorporate some of the oil into the basil.