Pesto Genovese
If you’ve never made pesto, do it just once in your life and you will be thankful that you did. It
tastes like summer and is nothing like the stuff you buy in a jar. Pesto is quite easy to make and
unforgettable eaten fresh. It can be used on pasta, bruschetta and as a delicious dip. It can also
be bottled (small bottles are best).
Ingredients:
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
3–4 bunches of fresh basil (‘Genovese’)
1 heaped tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
3 tablespoons good-quality olive oil, plus
1 wine glass
3 tablespoons grated Pecorino cheese
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
salt
Put the garlic cloves, basil and pine nuts in a mortar and slowly start to crush, adding the
3 tablespoons olive oil, Pecorino and Parmesan, a tablespoon at a time.
When it has reached a thick, homogenous consistency, empty it into a bowl and dilute with
a glass of olive oil, mixing well. Season.
When using the pesto for pasta sauce, dilute it with 1–2 tablespoons of the water that has
been used to boil the pasta.
*taken from the book ‘From Seed to plate’ by Paolo Arrigo, published by Simon and Schuster