Authentic pesto genovese recipe

Authentic Pesto Genovese recipe

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Recipe intro

If you're looking to add a burst of fresh flavors to your pasta or sandwiches, look no further than this authentic pesto Genovese recipe. Originating from the Liguria region of Italy, this traditional recipe combines fragrant basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and extra virgin olive oil. The result is a vibrant and aromatic green sauce that will elevate any dish to new heights. Get ready to indulge in the taste of Italy with this easy-to-make and delicious pesto Genovese recipe.

Keywords: pesto Genovese, authentic recipe, Liguria, basil, Italian

Authentic pesto genovese recipe details

Authentic pesto genovese recipe, recipe Rating: 4.6
Number of votes:101 

Ingredients

2 bunch(es)	basil
50 g	pine nuts, lightly crushed with rolling pin if desired
2 clove(s)	garlic, chopped if desired to make grinding easier
	salt, to taste
1 tbsp	Parmesan cheese, fresh and finely grated
1 tbsp	Pecorino cheese, fresh and finely grated
250 ml	virgin or extra virgin olive oil, good quality

Instructions

This recipe is said to originate in the area of Genoa where they grow a particular variety of basil (it can be found wild, I believe) that does not create an after-taste of tarragon or aniseed, unlike most commercially grown varieties and is generally not available elsewhere. Similarly, it is said that a Genovese mama would collapse at the very thought were you to admit making pesto in any other than the traditional means of pestle and mortar or by substituting ingredients.

Pecorino is a hard Italian cheese, somewhat similar to Parmesan, but traditionally made solely from ewes’ (sheep) milk. There are similar cheeses made outside of Italy, even in the UK, of which some are very similar to the original. Others are made today either with a mix of sheep and goats’ milk, or goats’ milk alone or by using a mix of sheep and cows’ milk, although probably not in Italy.

Place pine nuts, basil, garlic and a pinch of salt in the bowl of the mortar. If your mortar is small, you may need to add the basil in several stages. Pound continuously in a circular motion, slowly bringing all the ingredients together in the deepest part of the mortar, until it forms into a chunky paste.

Pour into a bowl and drizzle in oil in a slow stream, mixing continuously. Stir in cheeses. Add as much oil as required, if any, to bring to a slightly runny consistency, but keep quantity to a minimum. The cheeses and pine nuts may be slightly moister than typical and thus require slightly less oil, or dryer and need a little more. Use immediately or store in a sealed jar and pour a little more oil over the pesto to keep out air and to preserve the bright colour of the basil.

In Genoa, they would use this as a dip, a pasta sauce, or added at the last moment before serving to a traditional minestrone soup to add colour and flavour.

Preparation time:
ca. 15 min
Grade of difficulty:
easy
Calories per portion:
n/a