Condiments

Basil pesto (pesto genovese)

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Pesto genovese

Basil pesto is a classic Italian no-cook sauce that uses a handful ingredients. In Italy, that’s referred to as “pesto genovese” or “pesto alla genovese” because it originates from the seaside city of Genova. Extremely versatile, pesto is used to provide flavor and depth to a variety of other dishes, including pasta, bruschetta, and more. The word “pesto” refers to the act of grinding the ingredients in a mortar with a pestle, which most Italians still do.

Italian basil pesto, a classic sauce full of flavor

corinthian
The traditional recipe of basil pesto only uses a few quality ingredients. It's Italian simplicity in a jar. Here is the traditional recipe from the city of Genova.
prep time
10 min
servings
2
total time
10 min

Equipment

  • Marble mortar and pestle

Ingredients

  • 2 garlic cloves

  • 25 g pine nuts

  • 70 g fresh basil (small leaf)

  • 30 g grated pecorino cheese (sheep cheese)

  • 70 g grated Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano) cheese

  • 1 pinch of coarse salt

  • Extra-virgin olive oil (to taste)

Instructions

1

Rinse the basil leaves

Pick the basil leaves from the stems, then rinse them gently under cold running water. Put the leaves aside to dry onto a clean towel or delicately pat them dry. It's important that you do not break them now, because that will start a process of obsidation and make the pesto darker.
2

Crush the ingredients

Peel the garlic and add it to the mortar with a few grains of coarse salt. Crush them in the mortar with a pestle, until creamy. Add the pine nuts and continue pounding. Add the basil, a little at a time. With the pestle, make rotating movements so that the leaves are crushed and torn along the walls of the mortar. You will smell the scent! Don't be in a hurry... The mixture should be fine and creamy. Add the Parmesan and pecorino cheese and, finally, the extra virgin olive oil in a trickle, always continuing to mix. Your pesto is now ready.
3

Use or store

Use your pesto immediately, or store it. If storing in the fridge, transfer pesto into a glass jar. Cover the sauce with a thin layer of olive oil, then close tight with a lid. It will keep for 3-4 days. You can also freeze your pesto in an ice cube tray, covered by plastic film, for up to one month.

Notes

To make a vegan version, you can sub the cheese with cashews or hemp seeds. There is no lemon in pesto.
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