Genoese pesto is a traditional sauce typical of Liguria, and its main ingredient is basil, or more specifically, Genoese basil.
The pesto is a raw sauce, a mixture where all the ingredients are blended cold and not cooked.
I had an aunt who lived in Genoa and always told me that to make Genoese pesto, we must remember that we need eight ingredients.
When I prepare it, I always count if I have eight different ingredients to know if I have added everything.
Of course, the best way would be to crush everything in a mortar, but like most people, despite owning a mortar, I make it using the food processor, and the reason is simple: I usually prepare it in large quantities and then store it in small jars in the freezer, so I can use it any time of the year.
When I have some time and prepare it in small amounts, I use my mortar!
Primarily, I use it to season pasta, and I believe that the best pasta for it are linguine, gnocchi, and trofie.
Make the Genoese pesto following my recipe, and I’m sure you will love it very much!!!
Approx. 1289 Kcal total
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking methods: No cooking
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Liguria
- Seasonality: Summer
Ingredients to Make Genoese Pesto
- 4 cups Basil
- 1 cup Parsley
- 1/2 cup Pine Nuts
- 4 tbsps Butter
- 3 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3/4 cup Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 clove Garlic
- to taste Salt
Preparation of Genoese Pesto
First, let’s take the food processor and put all the ingredients inside, blending at maximum speed.
If the mixture is too dry, add butter or oil, and if it is too liquid, add more Parmigiano.
The mixture should be very smooth but not liquid.
It can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days, or in glass jars and then frozen.
