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Pesto Genovese

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Pesto Genovese

Energetic Italian grannies make their pesto by hand in a marble mortar, adding the basil leaves one by one. The result is the silkiest, smoothest pesto imaginable. Modern granddaughters are more likely to reach for the food processor, and the result is almost as good.

Preparation time:
10 minutes in a processor, 30 minutes by hand
Total time:
40 minutes 40 minutes
Makes:
 1 x 450g jar, enough for pasta for 6-8 people

Ingredients

  • 4 packs basil, or 1 large basil plant, leaves only
  • 25g pine kernels
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tsp granular sea salt
  • 50g freshly grated Parmesan
  • 100-200ml extra virgin olive oil

Method

  1. Wash and dry the basil leaves. Heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat and toast the pine kernels lightly for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
  2. If you're using a mortar, pound the garlic with the salt to make a soft mush. Pound in the pine nuts, then work in the basil leaves, 2-3 at a time, with a circular movement of the pestle, until all is reduced to a silky paste. (The mixture can be frozen at this point). Work in the cheeses, then beat in the olive oil with a wooden spoon until you have a thick, dense sauce. Add more or less oil depending on the texture you like.
  3. If you're using a processor, drop all the ingredients in and blitz to a luscious green sauce.
  4. To serve, cook a pasta of your choice according to packet instructions. Ligurian cooks put a few small cubes of potato to cook with the pasta because the starch improves the sticking power of the pesto. Before dressing the pasta, dilute the pesto with a tablespoonful of pasta cooking water.
  5. To store the pesto, pour into a jar, float a layer of olive oil on top, cover and refrigerate for up to a week.

Comments and images

Average user rating 4 stars out of 5

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Mishker

Mishker 06 August 2009 15:52

Fresh pesto is one of my favourites and over the years I have tweaked the recipe by adding a couple of extra ingredients. I add a handful of cashews as well as pine nuts, they add an extra dimension of flavour/texture. Occasionally I have found the sauce a little too oily when added to hot pasta so I add a small amount of mashed potato when blending, this helps the sauce adhere.

Mary Kingsley

Mary Kingsley 17 October 2008 14:57

The reason that they have removed the pecorino romano, from the recipe is that Waitrose no longer stocks pecorino romano, 7 types of parmesan yes, but no P. romano. Why why why? mary K

GeorgeP

GeorgeP 05 October 2008 18:30

Great recipe, but the 50g Pecorino seems to have disappeared from the recipe altogether now! Don't forget it, folks!

abarbieri

abarbieri 24 August 2007 18:57

Where it says: 50g freshly grated Parmesan 50g freshly grated Parmesan it should be read as: 50g freshly grated Parmesan 50g freshly grated Pecorino as well as the pine kernels one may want to add a few wallnuts too.

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4 stars out of 5

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This recipe was first published on Waitrose.com in June 2003