August 29, 2021, 12:14 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
A classic when you’re in a hurry: Pesto alla Genovese. Homemade, this Italian pesto tastes even better than the supermarket version. We have the recipe for this Italian specialty.
If Pesto alla Genovese doesn’t ring a bell, you might recognize it by the names “Pesto verde” or “Pesto Genovese style.” The green paste from Italy is made with just a few ingredients and tastes heavenly when prepared at home. Originally, Pesto alla Genovese comes from Liguria in northern Italy, where it is traditionally served with linguine.
Pesto alla Genovese likely dates back to ancient Rome, where the mixture was called “Moretum.” Back then, vinegar and fresh cheese were added to the sauce, which would be considered a no-go today. The composition of ingredients we know today became known in 1865 when the recipe first appeared in the book “Cuciniera genovese” by the Ratto brothers, as stated on the official tourism site of Italy. At that time, the pesto was still called the unromantic “beaten mix with garlic and basil.” Several variations have developed from this recipe, such as adding cooked potatoes and beans to the pesto today.
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Because Italians simply can’t get enough of the green paste, the international Pesto Genovese World Championship has been held in Genoa every two years since 2007. In this event, 100 chefs from around the world mix their creations and have their pesto tasted by a jury. By the way, pesto should ideally be prepared with a mortar. If you don’t have one, you can use a blender instead.
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Recipe for Pesto alla Genovese
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 2 pots of basil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 50 g pine nuts
- 50 g Parmesan
- 120 ml olive oil
- A pinch of sea salt
- A mortar or blender
Preparation
- Heat a pan without oil and roast the pine nuts over medium heat. Let the pine nuts cool.
- Pick the basil leaves and place them in the mortar or blender. Then coarsely chop the garlic and add it. Now add the pine nuts and a pinch of salt, and process the ingredients into a fine paste. Gradually add some olive oil, finely grate the Parmesan, and stir it in.
- Serve with pasta and enjoy!