Pesto Genovese
A fragrant, raw green sauce from Genoa made by crushing fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, cheese, and olive oil, served here with trofie pasta, potatoes, and green beans.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 32 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 590 kcal
Equipment
- •Large cooking pot
- •Marble mortar and wooden pestle (or small food processor)
- •Colander
- •Large mixing bowl
- •Kitchen tongs
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 590 kcal
- fat
- 28 g
- carbs
- 68 g
- fibre
- 5 g
- protein
- 16 g
- calories
- 590 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Pound the garlic clove and pine nuts in a mortar until you have a smooth paste.
- 2
Add the basil leaves in small handfuls along with a few grains of coarse sea salt.
- 3
Rotate the pestle against the sides of the mortar in gentle circular motions until the leaves break down into a fine paste.
- 4
Stir in both grated cheeses until thoroughly combined.
- 5
Drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil slowly, stirring gently with a spoon until creamy and emulsified.
- 6
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil.
- 7
Add the diced potatoes and cook for five minutes.
- 8
Add the green beans and trofie to the same boiling pot, cooking until the pasta is al dente and vegetables are tender.
- 9
Reserve sixty millilitres of the hot starchy pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and vegetables.
- 10
Transfer the pasta and vegetables to a warm mixing bowl.
- 11
Stir the pesto and half of the reserved cooking water into the pasta, tossing gently off the heat until glossy.
- 12
Serve immediately in warm shallow bowls.
Chef's tips
Never cook or heat the pesto directly, as heat darkens the bright green colour and turns the fresh basil bitter. If using a food processor instead of a mortar, pulse in short bursts with cold blades to avoid warming the basil.
Ingredient substitutions
- Pecorino Fiore Sardo → Pecorino Romano, used sparingly as it is saltier
- trofie pasta → trenette or linguine pasta
- pine nuts → walnuts for a rustic, milder variation
Storage
Store leftover pesto in an airtight jar topped with a thin layer of olive oil in the fridge for up to three days.
Reheating
Do not heat; bring to room temperature and loosen with a splash of warm water before tossing through freshly cooked hot pasta.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Heating the pesto in a pan, which oxidises the herbs and destroys the delicate aroma.
- •Using damp basil leaves, which creates a watery sauce and causes rapid browning.
- •Boiling the pasta without adding the potatoes and beans, which are traditional to Genoese service.
Serving suggestions
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