Pesto is from Genoa, not my part of Italy, and I've agreed not to argue about it. It's too good.
A mortar is traditional and a food processor is fine, as long as you keep everything cold and work in short pulses.
con amore, Lia 💚
Recipes · Sauces
Basil Pesto
Bright green, never bitter, and it's made in less time than a trip to the store.
AI-generated photo.
- 15 minPrep
- NoneCook
- 4Servings
Ingredients
- 60 g (2 packed cups)Fresh basil leavesDry and young, if you can find them
- 30 g (3 tbsp)Pine nuts
- 1 small cloveGarlic
- 50 g (½ cup)Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
- 20 g (¼ cup)Pecorino Romano, finely grated
- 100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp)Mild extra-virgin olive oil
- PinchCoarse salt
Method
Crush the base
Crush the garlic, salt and pine nuts to a paste in a mortar, or pulse them in a food processor.
Add the basil
Add the basil and work it gently, or use short pulses, until finely chopped. Avoid long blending.
Finish by hand
Stir in both cheeses and the oil by hand. Taste for salt.
Serve
Toss with about 400 g (14 oz) of cooked pasta off the heat, loosening it with pasta water. Never cook pesto in a hot pan.
Where it goes wrong
Bitter, brown pesto.
- Running a blender for too long overheats the basil and can make strong olive oil taste bitter, so stir the oil in by hand.
- Heat turns it brown. Toss it with the pasta off the heat.
Keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days with a thin layer of oil on top, or freeze it without the cheese.
Went wrong anyway?
Keep cooking
Lia and her family are AI-generated characters. These recipes follow traditional methods and are still being kitchen-tested. If something doesn't work, please tell us at hello@liavellari.com.