The classic Ligurian basil condiment, pounded with garlic, pine nuts, aged Italian cheeses, extra-virgin olive oil, and coarse salt, with a dense, grainy, fragrant green texture.
Ingredients
- 80 g fresh small-leaf Genovese basil
- 120 ml Ligurian extra-virgin olive oil
- 45 g aged Parmigiano Reggiano
- 25 g Pecorino Fiore Sardo
- 25 g Mediterranean pine nuts
- 1 clove mild fresh garlic
- 4 g coarse sea salt
Method
- Handle the basil gently: detach the leaves one by one, discard thick stems and blackened leaves, then rinse them very briefly in cold water if necessary. Dry them perfectly in a clean towel without crushing them, until no visible moisture remains.
- Cool the mortar and pestle slightly if the kitchen is warm. The pesto must never heat up while you work: the basil should remain bright green and smell fresh, never like cooked herbs.
- Put the peeled garlic in the mortar with the coarse salt. Pound in firm circular motions until you have a smooth garlic cream; the salt helps grind it and should scrape against the stone less and less.
- Add the pine nuts and continue pounding until they become a pale, rich paste. The texture should be creamy but still lively, never perfectly smooth.
- Add the basil gradually. Crush the leaves against the side of the mortar while turning the pestle rather than striking vertically. Continue until the leaves release their deep green juice and form a thick, fragrant paste with tiny visible fibers.
- Incorporate the finely grated cheeses. Mix with the pestle until the paste thickens and becomes more matte; it should cling to the pestle without running.
- Pour in the olive oil little by little in a thin stream, turning regularly. Stop as soon as the pesto becomes supple, glossy, and coating, with a dense, grainy texture, never foamy.
- Taste and adjust only with salt if necessary. The flavor should be clear: fresh basil first, discreet but present garlic, sweet pine nuts, salty cheeses, and fruity oil.
- Use immediately, or cover the surface with a thin layer of olive oil before refrigerating. To dress pasta, loosen the pesto off the heat with a little hot cooking water so it coats the pasta without cooking the basil.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 388.4 kcal
- Protein
- 6.86 g
- Carbohydrate
- 1.94 g
- Fat
- 39.77 g
- Fibre
- 0.7 g
- Calcium
- 57 mg
- Iron
- 1.36 mg
- Magnesium
- 32.28 mg
