Fresh Pesto Genovese Sauce for Pasta

A recipe for a traditional Italian pasta sauce made with fresh basil & pine nuts (pine kernels) .  Pesto is remarkably easy to make and is simply stirred into hot pasta to serve.

This version uses both olive oil and butter.  Butter is much more widely used in northern Italian dishes than in southern ones, and pesto is originally from Genoa (Genova) in the North West of Italy.

This article gives more history http://www.theatlantic.com/past/docs/issues/98aug/pesto.htm

Step 1 Ingredients

1 cup/ 2 oz /  50g fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup / 4 fl oz / 110 ml olive oil
1/3 cup / 3 oz / 75g pine nuts
2 cloves of garlic
pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups / 4 oz / 100g / freshly grated parmesan (or a mixture of parmesan & pecorino)
1 stick / 2 oz / 50g butter

This makes enough pesto to serve with 1 1/2 lbs / 24 oz / 750g pasta

Comments

[ExpatCucina]

You Italian? This recipe is pretty authentic. I dont use butter though but might be cause im from the South as u said. Mine gets out a more creamy, yours looks a bit chunky is it only and effect in the pic?

[lizzyastro]

No, I'm English not Italian, but I'll take that as a compliment. Yes this one was a bit chunkier than normal so I could have processed it for longer. If we get basil glut, I make it in the big food processor which gives a smoother results. Thank you for the comment.

[ExpatCucina]

I just use a simple blender, like this one, and it comes out pretty smooth :)

[lizzyastro]

I'll try the stick blender another time. Looking back at the photo some of the chunkiness is from the cheese & butter which melt down when you add the pesto to the pasta.

[TrueItalian]

You're right in northern Italy we use butter but it is not very cheap, Genova is famous for the parsimony of the people, so in pesto only olive oil :)
If you want a sauce more creamy use a blender like this

http://www.amicodellavalpe.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/01_2_frullatore_blu.jpg

It's easier and you'll have a better result ;)

[chuckr44]

Mmm. I'm going to buy some basil seeds tonight, and in 3 months I'll make this. :) No really, I am.

[lizzyastro]

Either buy seeds or pot on basil bought as a growing herb from the supermarket. We have had excellent results growing our basil hydroponically - big succulent, flavoursome leaves. Yum.

Tell me how your pesto works out later in the year

[chuckr44]

Thanks. Yesterday I bought Sweet Basil seeds. I hope that's a good kind of basil for pesto.

[lizzyastro]

Yes, that is exactly what you need. Don't plant the seeds deeply - they like to be on or just below the surface of the growing medium. Plenty of water and they'll soon be on their way.