Our Favorite Pesto Genovese Food

PESTO GENOVESE | AUTHENTIC ITALIAN BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Wash and dry the basil leaves very well on a kitchen towel. Place them in a food processor with garlic, pine nuts and grated Parmigiano. Chop coarsely for a few seconds then add salt and Pecorino Fiore Sardo cheese cut into small pieces. Blend all the ingredients for about 1 minute.
• Add extra virgin olive oil. Blend for about 5 minutes, until you'll get a creamy green pesto sauce. Pesto must not heat up, so be careful to work quickly, using the food processor at minimum speed and at intervals, that is, blend a few seconds, stop and start again.
• Before seasoning your pasta dish, if the basil pesto is too thick, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of the cooking water; this way you'll have a warm homogeneous soft pesto sauce.

PESTO ALLA GENOVESE

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the basil, salt, and pepper and process for a few seconds until the basil is chopped. Add the cheese, pine nuts, and garlic and, while the processor is running, add the oil in a thin, steady stream until a mostly smooth sauce is formed. Transfer pesto to a bowl and set aside. (Note: Pesto may be made 1 day in advance and kept, refrigerated, in an airtight container, until ready to use. If making in advance, be sure to cover the top of the pesto with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent the pesto from darkening. Pesto may also be frozen in the same manner in small quantities for use at a later date.)
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, according to package directions, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. In a large bowl, toss pasta with pesto. Add a little of the reserved cooking liquid if pasta seems to dry. Serve immediately.

GENOVESE PESTO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a food processor, pound the garlic, basil, pinch salt, pine nuts and cheeses into a paste. Gradually blend in olive oil; adjust seasoning.