Pesto oil completes recipe for rigatoni

Here's the pesto oil that was inadvertently omitted from the amuse bouche recipe for ricotta-stuffed rigatoni in last week's Taste section. (If you missed the recipe, check the Jan. 8 Taste section online, at the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/Jan/08/il/il11ataste.html.

Pesto Oil

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon toasted pine nuts
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• Juice from half an orange
• 1 cup grapeseed oil
• Salt

In a saucepan filled with boiling water, blanch the basil leaves for about 10 seconds or until they turn bright green. Drain and immediately submerge in cold water. Drain again.

Put the drained basil leaves and the pine nuts, garlic and orange juice in a blender. With the motor running, slowly add the grapeseed oil and blend until pureed.

Strain the infused oil through a fine-mesh sieve into a small glass or ceramic bowl. Season to taste with salt. Use immediately or refrigerate in a tightly lidded nonreactive container for up to four days.

Recipe yields about 1 cup.