Pesto alla Genovese is in my opinion a perfect example to reflect the slogan „less is more“. The very few ingredients of this composition make the pesto very intense, but can still be recognized on its own. For quite some time I was barely enthusiastic for its taste, since I knew it only as factory-made. Well, the situation changed significantly after I made it by myself. 🙂 It was actually a pure coincidence, that I once threw all the ingredients together into the mortar, without any big expectations. 🙂 The result was clear: Never buy Pesto again! Five ingredients, minimal effort and only a few steps to make this superlative of Italian cuisine.
For my sister, who loves this so badly. 😉 Happy Birthday! 🙂
Ingredients
- 80 g fresh basil leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, pealed
- 40 g pine nuts
- 50 g fresly grated Parmesan cheese
- 30 g freshly grated mild Pecorino cheese (Sardinian if possible)
- about 100 ml olive oil extra vergine
- salt and pepper
Recipe
Wash the basil leaves and shake them well to dry them. Put them together with garlic and a pinch of salt (makes the basil to keep its nice green colour) into a mortar and grind it with a pestle. Slightly roast the pine nuts and let them cool down. Then add them to the mortar together with grated cheese and two tablespoons of olive oil. Keep grinding everything until you get a homogeneous mixture. Transfer it to a bowl and add olive oil so that the pesto gets a smooth and creamy texture. Season to taste with freshly grated pepper and some more salt if needed. If not used immediately, cover the pesto with olive oil and store it in the fridge for up to one month. Make sure it is always covered with olive oil.
It is also possible to make the pesto by using a mixer. For this, put all ingredients into a mixer and pulse shortly and with breaks. It is important not to keep mixing for too long because the olive oil could heat up and the basil would lose its aroma.
Never cook or heat the pesto. Just fold it under the fresh cooked pasta and serve immediately.
Merium
