Presto - Pesto!

I'm so in love with pesto I would put it on toast and eat it in soup form.  Truly.  Tonight I made Andrew Carmellini's version from his latest cookbook Urban Italian (see Ali Eats)  I halved the recipe and kept the 2 cloves of garlic called for in a full batch but would only recommend doing so if you love the breath-crippling bulbs.

Ingredients
3 bunches basil, leaves picked
3 cups extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 cups pine nuts
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Instructions

1. Put a large pot of water on to boil.
2. Remove the stems from the basil leaves.  Wash the basil leaves and dry them by placing on a paper towel or lightly-spinning in a salad spinner, being careful not to bruise them.
3. When the water comes to a boil, blanch the basil leaves by dropping them in the boiling water for about 30 seconds, so that they soften but retain their greenness.  Remove the basil from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.  When the basil is cold, remove it from the water and squeeze it with your hands to dry it.
4. Combine 1 cup of the olive oil and the garlic in a blender and blend on medium-high until the mixture is smooth, about 15 seconds.
5. Add the basil and the remaining 2 cups of olive oil.  Blend on medium until the basil is thoroughly chopped into small bits.  Add 1 cup of warm water and blend on medium until the mixture is thoroughly emulsified.  Add the pine nuts and blend on medium until everything is mixed and the pine nuts have been chopped to bits.  Add the cheese and salt and blend briefly to combine everything.  The pesto will hold in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, in the freezer for up to 6 months.