Pesto Genovese - Italian Recipe

Pesto Genovese

🌍 Italian, Liguria Difficulty: ●●●○○

A mortar and pestle produces a pesto that no blade can match. The basil must be young and small-leafed — large leaves turn bitter when crushed. Pound the garlic and pine nuts first, then work in the basil leaves a handful at a time. The cheese goes last, off the mortar.

Ingredients

• 60g fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 40g pine nuts
• 60g Parmesan, grated
• 30g Pecorino, grated
• 150ml olive oil
• Pinch coarse salt

Method

1. Pounding — Pound garlic and salt in mortar.
2. Adding — Add basil in batches; pound to paste.
3. Adding — Add pine nuts; pound.
4. Incorporating — Incorporate cheeses; stir in oil gradually.
5. Step 5 — Alternatively: blend all, but mortar gives better texture.

Tags: fresh basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan, pecorino · Source: Brittani's Almanac