My Pesto

The smell of fresh basil is an integral part of my kitchen: it is so important that, without it, the room would feel as wrong and empty as if the table or the oven were missing. While I can’t expect to have a basil plant handy all year-round, the market never fails to provide me with a bunch of emerald-green, freshly picked leaves. Disclaimer: I am aware that the Classic Pesto alla Genovese, by Tradition, requires a mortar, roman pecorino, and the flavoring of the pasta water by boiling green beans and potatoes in it. This is not that recipe.

I make My Pesto by using a food blender. I use parmesan, garlic, lightly toasted pine nuts, extra-virgin olive oil, and a few flakes of coarse sea salt to help the basil retain its color. It does not follow the Traditional Recipe (already I hear the Genovese Chefs’ cries of righteous indignation), but the result is delicious, and I have received no complaints so far! Sure, I have tasted the Original Recipe with Trofie in Liguria, and it was excellent. However, this is My Pesto: this is the version I make and store in the fridge for my family to enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 Bunch of Basil

1 handful of toasted pine nuts

4 tablespoons of parmesan cheese

1 sprinkle of coarse sea salt

1 small clove of garlic

Olive Oil to taste

Method:

Add the basil leaves (ripped by hand in tinier pieces), the pine nuts, and the sea salt to the mixer, and mix for a few minutes. Now, while the mixer continues at full speed, add the Olive Oil and the Parmesan cheese, little by little, alternating between the two. Once you have added all of the cheese, you can keep adding Olive Oil until the Pesto reaches the consistency you prefer. Drain the pasta and mix it all together. Done!