Recipe - Basil Pesto

Sauces

Basil Pesto

It takes patience, plus a marble mortar and pestle large enough to accommodate the ingredients to make the pesto. The result is so much better than the one done with an electric appliance. If you resort to the blender or food processor, use short pulses to achieve a fairly rough texture.

Ingredients:

½ teaspoon sea salt
1 bunch of fresh basil
3 cloves garlic, sliced
½ cup pine nuts
½ cup Badia a Coltibuono Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ cup Parmigano Reggiano cheese, grated
1/3 cup aged Pecorino Toscano cheese, grated

Preparation:

Time: 20 minutes

Yield: N/A

Start with salt, basil, garlic cloves, pine nuts and a little bit of olive oil. With round, slow and regular motions, press and mash the basil until the pesto reaches a quite homogeneous consistency, but be careful; it still must be quite roughly done. It should be coarse. Keep adding the olive oil; when it’s nice and mixed, add the cheeses last.