Pesto alla Genovese
As the summer comes to a close, it’s a good moment to use the last of your basil to make a delicious pesto before the temperatures drop.
65g toasted pine nuts (equivalent to 1/2 cup)
1 large clove garlic
5 tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano finely grated
5 tbsp Pecorino Cheese finely grated
2 bunches Basil, (equivalent to 2 cups)
6 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil (equivalent to 1/2 cup)
Maldon salt and black pepper to taste
In a small amount of EVOO, lightly toast the pine nuts in a frying pan, which will take no more than a couple of minutes, so stay with them to ensure they don’t go over.
The traditional way is to make your pesto by combining all of the ingredients in a pestle and mortar. It all depends how much time you have, you can always revert to a small blender if you are time poor.
Naturally, we favour a Ligurian olive oil to make our pesto. The Taggiasca cultivar has a delicate sweetness to it and this works perfectly in contrast with the aromatic basil and the sharpness of the cheese. S’Ciappau from Paolo Cassini would be our first choice.