Name: Pesto alla Genovese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 80 g fresh basil leaves, from young plants; 30 g pine nuts; 1 garlic clove, peeled and green germ removed; 50 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated; 25 g Pecorino Sardo, grated; 120 ml extra-virgin olive oil, mild and fruity; ½ tsp coarse sea salt; 400 g trofie or linguine

Pesto alla Genovese

Genoese pesto made the traditional way, with basil bruised rather than blitzed, so the sauce stays emerald green instead of turning army drab. Seven ingredients, ten minutes, and a flavour that shop-bought jars cannot touch.

25 min total Serves 4 servings Easy

Basil browns through oxidation driven by an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, which a food processor's blade heat and aeration activate. Blanching the leaves for five seconds denatures that enzyme, and a mortar's crushing action releases oils without whipping air into the sauce.

How to Make Pesto alla Genovese

Tap a step to highlight it, or turn on Cook Mode for large type and step-by-step focus.

Blanch the basil leaves for 5 seconds in boiling water, then plunge into iced water. Drain and squeeze dry in a tea towel. This locks in the colour.
Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan for 3 minutes until barely golden, then tip them onto a cold plate to cool while you pound the garlic and basil.
In a mortar, pound the garlic with the coarse salt into a paste — the salt crystals act as an abrasive.
Add the basil a handful at a time, grinding with a circular motion against the sides rather than pounding straight down.
Work in the pine nuts until the paste is creamy, then the two cheeses.
Drizzle in the olive oil slowly, stirring with the pestle rather than grinding, until the sauce is loose and glossy.
Cook the pasta, reserving 150 ml of water. Toss the pasta with the pesto off the heat, loosening with pasta water — never heat pesto directly or it will turn bitter and dull.

Related guide: Ingredient substitutions.

Something wrong or unclear in this recipe? Report a problem with this recipe.

Tips That Matter

If you use a food processor, chill the bowl and blade first and pulse in short bursts to limit heat.
Traditional Ligurian pesto pasta includes boiled potato cubes and green beans cooked in the pasta water. Try it once.
Cover stored pesto with a 5 mm film of olive oil to seal it from air.

Changing the Recipe

An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the stand-in usually given when you are out of fresh garlic; it will not brown the same way, and it burns easily, so add it with the liquid.

What to Serve With It

Vermentino from Liguria is the local pairing · Serve with green beans and waxy potatoes tossed through · Lemon granita to finish

Sides from the same cuisine on this site: Ciabatta, Citrus Fennel Salad, Fave e Cicoria.

Leftovers and Storage

Refrigerate under a layer of oil for up to 4 days, or freeze in ice-cube trays for 6 months. Add the cheese after thawing if freezing for best texture.