Greetings! Today I bring you another fermentation favorite of ours. This fermented basil paste will make you forget about Italian pesto. Though it isn’t quite the same thing, ever since we started fermenting fresh basil leaves we have used this as a base for dressings and sauces.
The other day we made a chickpea crust pizza with a pesto-like sauce made from this paste topped with fresh tomatoes, vegan homemade mozzarella cheese, and fresh rocket lettuce. Pure bliss!
Fermenting basil leaves is an excellent way to preserve their nutrients and essential oils. Plus while fermenting it will add a unique, delicious, tangy flavor to the basil paste. It’s also a great way to preserve fresh basil leaves from the garden.
Though we have some basil growing right now, the plants are not big enough yet to harvest so much basil to make this paste. But one of our Italian friends is growing basil in his hydro setup and had so much growing that he gave us some.
I made an extra jar to return the gesture! He already asked me when he can give me another batch of basil leaves in exchange for another jar. So I guess he likes this paste too!
A few months ago, I shared how we make fermented garlic paste, making this basil paste is quite similar.
No need for fancy equipment, you will find everything you need in your kitchen. The only thing you will need is patience as it takes about 2-3 weeks from start to finish.
This is again an example of one of our wild fermentation experiments. Other wild fermentation I have shared in the past include tepache, garlic paste, and apple cider vinegar. Unlike making kombucha or our vegan cashew yogurt where you need a fermentation starter to get the process going, fermenting basil paste relies on naturally occurring microorganisms to ferment the paste.
Wash basil leaves and pat dry.
Add the fresh basil leaves, garlic, and salt to a food processor or blender. Process until you have a smooth paste. Scrape down the sides while blending to make sure no big leaf or garlic lumps remain. Taste and add more salt if you like. If your food processor is too small, blend the leaves in smaller batches.
Add the paste to a small, clean jar. Leave about 2.5 cm or 1 inch of space from the top.
Press down the paste with a tamper or spoon. The natural liquid (brine) present in the leaves will come up and cover the paste when pushed down. Then add a fermentation weight if you have one to make sure the paste stays submerged to reduce exposure to air and prevent mold to grow on top.
If you don’t have a fermentation weight you can use baking paper pushed into the jar and weighed down with marbles, a plastic ziplock bag filled with water, or this green plastic thing I use. I recycled them from jars of gherkins, olives, and slivered onions. Cut off the stick used to lift the gherkins and you will be left with a perfect device to weigh down your ferments.
Close the jar with the lid and set it on the counter out of direct sunlight for 14 to 21 days. I live in the tropics so things go a little faster here.
While the paste is fermenting it will thicken a little, so make sure to check it daily to make sure the paste is still submerged in the brine. If it is no longer submerged, press down again. Every few days open the lid to let out the fermentation gasses.
After just a few days you will start to see bubbles appearing, this is a sign that the fermentation is going well!
FYI: I have made this basil paste quite a few times now and there was always enough natural liquid enough to keep the paste submerged at all times. If, however, you find yourself lacking liquid to cover the paste, simply add a little salty brine on top. The ratio of a salty brine is ½ tablespoon of salt in ½ cup of filtered water. Mix well to dissolve all the salt.
Start tasting after 14 days. When it has reached your preferred level of tanginess, store it in the fridge. You can store this paste for many months, though you will find that you will go through the jar quite fast!
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