Today pesto is very popular and it has assumed forms that are in many cases far from what the idea of pesto really is. Of course one is free to as one pleases but in this blog we will deal with authenticity so we will propose pesto alla genovese. There are other authentic pesto recipes such as pesto alla trapanese or pesto di pistacchi. The latter being great Sicilian pesti. But the Genovese pesto is the most popular and the most messed with. The Genoese take their pesto very seriously and swear that it's true flavor can only be achieved in Genova where a small leafed basil is used. But this is a matter of opinion. What they do use is a cut up small potato and a bunch of cut up green beans in the pasta water. These will be part of the final dish.
The ingredients are ad occhio or by the eye. Cooking is not a science. Although pesto means pestle and the best way is to do the mashing manually, even the Genoese have surrendered to modern exigencies so a blender will do just fine. In said blender add half a cup of really good EVO, two or three garlic cloves, a nice bunch of washed and dried basil leaves, a spoon of pinoli, half a cup of parmigiano, a third of a stick of butter plus a little Sicilian sea salt. Easy on the salt. Blend slowly until you get the pesto. At this point the aroma is to die for. Of course do this while the pasta and the potatoes and string beans are cooking in salted water. The pasta is usually trofie but they are almost impossible to find. ai got mine at the little Italy in The Bronx. Any pasta will do evem spaghetti
Drain the pasta and reserve some pasta water and then add the pesto to the pasta. Stir well. If the mixture is too dry, add some of the reserved pasta water. Serve by adding a few pinoli on top and if needed some more parmigiano. This recipe comes from my wonderful zia Grazia who lived many years in Genova and it is as authentic as it gets.
Buon appetito.
Let me know how you like it
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