A recipe from the western Liguria, Pine Nut Sauce is one of the many Ligurian condiments. Even though these seeds are expensive, some recipes just can’t do without them, like the famous Pesto Genovese or Pandolce. The procedure is very easy; in the past, a mortar was used in Ligurian kitchens, but for convenience, today we have very practical blenders or food processors that give excellent results. Besides pine nuts, the ingredient that must never be missing in the sauce is marjoram (known as ‘persa’ to Genoese); without it, the taste wouldn’t be the same. The creaminess of the sauce doesn’t come from cream as in many recipes, but from the breadcrumb soaked in milk. Prepare the Pine Nut Sauce with me and try it on gnocchi, you’ll taste the goodness!
Other Recipes
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 3 People
- Cooking methods: No Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian Regional
- Region: Liguria
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 352.66 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 15.11 (g) of which sugars 3.17 (g)
- Proteins 8.99 (g)
- Fat 30.38 (g) of which saturated 4.43 (g)of which unsaturated 17.29 (g)
- Fibers 1.73 (g)
- Sodium 396.76 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 80 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 3 oz pine nuts
- 1 clove garlic (preferably from Vessalico)
- 1.4 oz breadcrumb
- 1/3 cup milk
- 0.7 oz Parmigiano Reggiano DOP
- 2 sprigs marjoram
- 0.7 extra virgin olive oil
- 2 g fine salt
- 1 pinch nutmeg
Tools
- Mortar
- Chopper
Steps
Place the garlic with the core removed and pine nuts in the chopper bowl and start chopping. Continue by adding the marjoram leaves, the breadcrumb soaked in milk, nutmeg, salt, and grated Parmesan. Mix in the extra virgin olive oil until you see a cream. If you prefer to use a mortar, that’s perfectly fine, follow the same procedure.
Notes
Pine nuts are very energetic and provide an excellent source of minerals, vitamins, and fatty acids, and are cholesterol-free.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Does the Pine Nut Sauce need cream to become creamy?
No, the creaminess is formed thanks to the breadcrumb soaked in milk.
