After a recent trip to Charleston we ate at a wonderful Italian restaurant called Le Farfalle. Besides serving incredible homemade pasta dishes seasoned to perfection, this Charleston hot spot also serves up decadent flavors of gelato. One of the flavors we enjoyed was basil-olive oil. Although it may sound weird, this was by far one of the best ice creams I’ve ever enjoyed. So when we got home I was eager to make it part of our Easter dinner. Through research and tweaking, here is the recipe (hubs says this was better than the restaurant’s;):
Basil Olive Oil Gelato
1 1/4 cup milk (whole or your preference)
1 tsp vanilla extract
7 large basil leaves
1/3 cup olive oil
pinch of salt
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
Directions:
Place milk, vanilla, basil leaves, olive oil, and salt in the Vitamix, blend on low for 15 seconds then on maximum high for for 15 seconds.
In a large bowl combine basil mixture with heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk. Whip together until all combined.
Pour into Breville Ice Cream Maker and set to Gelato (or according to your ice cream maker directions.
Once mixture is ready, put in freezer and let sit for several hours before serving for best texture and presentation.
Serve with cacao nibs or chocolate chips for an added punch of flavor. I hope you will fall in love with this gelato as much as we did!