Classic pasta – PESTO ALLA GENOVESE

Serve 4 persons
Cooking time: 15 minutes



Pesto is now enjoyed throughout Italy. This traditional pasta sauce from Liguria is also often used to spice up minestrone and other tasty soups.

INGREDIENTS:
4 big bunches fresh basil
3 cloves garlic
4 oz (100g) pine nuts
2 oz (50g) freshly grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
7 tbsp (100ml) olive oil
Salt

HOW TO MAKE:
1. First wash the basil and shake it dry. Peel the garlic and finely chop.
2. Put he basil, together with chopped garlic and pine nuts into a mortar and grind with a pestle. The order in which you add the ingredients is of no importance. To save time and effort, you can also use a blender to grind the ingredients. This is particularly easy to do when you have a so-called “universal blender” and a suitable fitting.
3. When the ingredients have been sufficiently ground, first add the cheese and then gradually, the oil. The pesto should eventually take on a slightly vicious consistency. The quantity of oil added is of decisive importance, so it is best not to add it all in one go, but spoon it in gradually, keeping a close eye on how the consistency is developing. Finally, add salt to taste.

STORING TIPS:
Pesto can easily be made in great quantity and then stored in the refrigerator for several days. The most suitable is a jam jar that can be tightly sealed. To prevent the pesto from drying out, drizzle it with oil once it has been put in the jar.