basil sliced with pasta ,sliced tomatoe and ham with mozoila chesse for a good meal Or basil, ham, tomatoe and chesse as a snack and the flower on the basil plant is edbile and a great garnish of cousre I have found this resipe on the net for pesto Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe Print OptionsPrint (no photos)Print (with photos) Ingredients 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Special equipment needed: A food processor 1 Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more. 2 Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Makes 1 cup. Serve with pasta, or over baked potatoes, or spread over toasted baguette slices. here is the website http://elise.com/recipes/archives/001329fr...basil_pesto.php Of course Rob might know more about preparing basil I then I would