The herbs in our garden are growing like weeds right now, especially our sturdy oregano plants. Here’s a simple, scrumptious, red oregano pesto that has replaced the basil variety as our all-time favorite. It tastes wonderful straight out of the jar on bread, or with pasta, or stuffed in grilled/baked large mushroom caps (recipe to follow).

Oregano Pesto Rosso 
Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients
Oregano leaves, min. 4 cups
100g pine nuts, gently roasted/fried till golden brown
100g Parmesan (preferably Reggiano), finely grated
5-10 fresh garlic cloves (depending on their size and your taste), coarsley chopped
100-150g sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained and coarsley chopped
2dl Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and pepper

Preparation
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and while adding the olive oil in a steady stream, blend the mixture to a smooth, but still slightly coarse texture (or smoother if you prefer). Season with salt and pepper to taste. To store, place the pesto in a glass container and cover with a generous layer of olive oil. The pesto stays fresh in the refrigerator for at least one month.

You can replace the oregano with Rucola, parsley or ail des ours (bear’s garlic).

Do you have a favorite pesto sauce that features an out-of-the-ordinary herb? If so, please share it with us becaue we love to try new variations on classic recipes.