Yes, on the first day of our Basil season, it would be so easy to have a recipe for basil pesto. But I will tweak that idea in two ways.
First, a recipe for Beets roasted with Pesto:
Remove the leaves from 1 bunch of basil. Puree the basil with 3 T. toasted walnuts, 1 minced clove of garlic and enough olive oil to make a thick paste. Season with salt. Add grated parmesan cheese to taste, if you like.
Slice beets into half-inch thick rounds or half-rounds. Toss with 1 T. olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt. When the beets are nicely browned on one side, remove them from the oven and toss with the pesto. Return them to the cookie sheet and bake for another 15 minutes.
The second is a recipe for Beet Pesto without basil:
Boil water and cook three large or four medium beets until tender.
Peel and mince 3 cloves of garlic.
Cool the cooked beets in water, then drain and peel them. Cut into quarters and place in a food processor with the garlic, 1/2 C. toasted walnuts, 1/4 C. each lemon juice and olive oil, and 1 C. finely grated parmesan cheese. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Toss with cooked spaghetti or other pasta.
This recipe comes from www.eatliverun.com