Tempt Your Tastebuds - Genoese Pesto by Lucy Malouf

GENOESE PESTO

If you had to pick one of the most iconic dishes from Genoa, it would surely have to be pesto. And such is the addictive joy of this sublime blend of fresh basil, pine nuts, parmesan, garlic and extra-virgin oil, that it’s become one of the most popular sauces for pasta around the world. Millions of jars of the stuff are plucked from supermarket shelves or chill cabinets every hour of every day, and isn’t pasta pesto the answer to everyone’s weeknight supper prayers?

Easy to buy, yet so quick and easy to make that I thought it well worth sharing a recipe, in anticipation of pesto experiences to come during next year’s Ports, Pots and Entrepôts tour that I’m leading around three major Mediterranean maritime ports and which, naturally, includes that great trading empire, Genoa.

With its moreishly herby, garlicky, salty flavour, pesto is one of my personal favourite sauces for spaghetti. But pesto’s uses are limited only by your imagination! Dollop on a barbecued steak or grilled chicken breast, drizzle over boiled new potatoes, serve as a simple dip for crudités and crusty bread or stir a generous spoonful into a fresh spring vegetable soup to make soupe au pistou. And in one of those neat cross-cultural culinary connections, this last dish originates from the south of France, which we also visit on our tour!

The Genoese (and purists) will say that the key thing about pesto is that you should pound it in a mortar and pestle, and the word itself comes from pestare, which means to crush, pound or grind. But if you take care not tooverprocess, you can still make fabulous pesto in a food processor.

Here’s my go-to recipe for this Genoese classic.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups basil leaves

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

pinch sea salt flakes

30 g pine nuts

30 g freshly grated parmigiano (pecorino is good too)

Good quality extra-virgin olive oil*

METHOD

Rinse the basil leaves and carefully pat dry, taking care not to bruise them.If using a mortar and pestle, start by crushing the garlic with a pinch of sea salt to make a smooth paste. Add the pine nuts and pound together to a rough paste. Add the basil leaves and, rather than pounding down, crush the leaves against the sides of the mortar, working with the nuts until you achieve a thick paste. This takes a bit of effort, but work as quickly as you can so the basil doesn’t oxidise and lose its vibrancy. Add the grated cheese then blend in the oil, a little at a time, until the mixture is a thickish, creamy paste.

If using a food processor, combine the basil, garlic, nuts and cheese in the bowl and whiz to a medium-smooth paste. Slowly drizzle in the oil, blending until you achieve a creamy consistency.

Pesto is at its vibrant best when eaten straight away and this quantity is enough to use with around 500g pasta. Store any leftovers in a jar, sealing the surface with a layer of olive oil. It will keep in the fridge for up to a week – although it’s unlikely to last that long.

* Some extra-virgin olive oils can be overpoweringly peppery so taste before using. As when making mayonnaise, you may like to tone it down by blending with a milder vegetable oil.

Buon appetito!