Pesto alla Genovese
Pesto alla Genovese is the Italian name for Basil Pesto. It's a traditional Italian sauce made from fresh basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. It's commonly used as pasta sauce, but it can also be a flavorful addition to sandwiches, chicken, and other dishes.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 157kcal
Ingredients
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
- 4 packed cups sweet Italian basil leaves picked, thick stems removed
- cup good quality extra virgin olive oil add as needed if consistency is too thick
- 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan cheese), grated
Instructions
- Add the pine nuts, garlic and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times until they’re chopped up.
- Add the basil and parmesan cheese, then continue pulsing while you slowly drizzle in the olive oil until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Transfer to a jar and save for later, or toss with hot pasta and a little bit of pasta water until it forms a nice sauce.
Notes
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- To maintain the most vibrant green color, do not let the motor run for a second longer than it has to.
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- Toast the pine nuts ever so slightly to freshen them up, but not so much that they brown and turn nutty which changes the flavor of the pesto. Be sure to let them cool completely before using.
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- The more the basil leaves are bruised, the more damaged and brown they will appear. The sharper the blades on your food processor, the brighter your pesto will turn out.
Nutrition
Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 982mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 251IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 302mg | Iron: 1mg
