Pesto Dip Revisited

I'm having a few ladies over my house tomorrow and wanted to try something new. We're having a bunch of appetizers, salads, and desserts and I wanted to make a pesto for either crostinis, vegetables, or both!


However, I had no pine nuts in my pantry (insert sound of tiny violin playing). But I did have pistachios!


So I decided that I wanted to make a quick and easy dip or spread, and it would be Spinach Pistachio Pesto.


Here's the recipe!


About 2.5-3 cups of baby spinach
About 1 cup of basil leaves
About 3 very large garlic cloves
3-4 tbsp of grated parmesan 
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup roasted pistachios (place in a skillet on medium low heat for about 5-6 minutes, shaking pan occasionally)
Kosher salt and pepper
About a 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (one specific for dressings and marinades will be best)


Place the first 6 ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until blended. Season with salt and pepper.
With the food processor running, slowly stream in the oil. Mixture will be thick. If using recipe for pasta, add some more oil. If using as a dip or spread; leave as is.


Note: Due to the limited "not good for you" ingredients in this recipe, I've omitted the nutrition information. The recipe should easily serve 8-10 people.


Enjoy!