Sauces

Pesto Alla Genovese (Classic Basil Pesto)

June 3, 2021 by Marisa 33 Comments

Pesto alla Genovese is a classic basil pesto sauce originating from Liguria in the north-western part of the boot. This versatile fragrant sauce is quick and easy, making mealtime stress free.

Check the list of ingredients you’ll need and step-by-step photos below on how to make a Classic Basil Pesto Sauce!

The word pesto is derived from the Italian word pestare, which means to pound or to crush. This is exactly what a pestle and mortar is used for and also a more authentic way of making herb-infused sauces.

But, a food processor really does an excellent job in whipping up large batches of herb-based sauces.

As a bonus, in a food processor, herb sauces can be put together in mere minutes. It’s so easy and delicious and perfect for big batch recipes.

Ingredients For An Authentic Pesto Alla Genovese

Basil, these sweet and tender leaves are an essential ingredient when making this Italian oil and herb-based sauce.
Pine Nuts, also known as pignoli are the edible seeds from pine trees and a must have component for this Genovese-style pesto.
Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, is known as the king of all cheeses. I buy mine in large chunks and grate it fresh as needed for optimal flavour. You can also use a combo of Pecorino Romano or Grana Padana cheese.
Garlic infuses this oil and herb based sauce with its spicy flavour.
Salt to draw out all the natural flavours of a dish.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a key ingredient in Mediterranean cooking. Buy the best you can afford and keep it stored in a cool dark place away from light.

Why Are Pine Nuts So Expensive?

Pine nuts with their distinctive teardrop shape, are the edible seeds in pine cones, cultivated from pine trees. These trees take time to grow and reach their full maturity.

Once they’re mature enough to harvest, extracting the pine nuts from the cones is quite labour intensive.

Hence their hefty price tag!

How To Make A Classic Basil Pesto With A Food Processor

Follow the simple 1, 2, 3 steps below for an easy breezy sauce that makes mealtime a cinch.

Step 1 – Place the fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic cloves, salt and extra virgin olive oil into a food processor.

Step 2 – Pulse till combined.

You’ll want to use the shortest amount of time when pulsing the ingredients together. This way, the basil retains its vibrant green colour.

Step 3 – Transfer the basil mixture into a small bowl and stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

And this is all it takes to transform a few fresh ingredients into an aromatic sauce that can be used in so many ways.

What Can Basil Pesto Be Used For?

There are endless ways to use pesto while preserving the sweet flavours of Summer.

Try it as a flavour booster for minestrone soup or pizza topping instead of the usual tomato pizza sauce.

Use it as a dressing for a potato salad or as a sandwich spread instead of mayonnaise as I sometimes do with my artichoke pesto recipe.

Serve alongside grilled chicken or fish.

On busy weeknights, try tossing it with gnocchi or any other pasta of your choice and have dinner ready in under 30 minutes. Oh the pestobilities!

For A Quick And Easy Sauce To Toss With Pasta

Pesto alla Genovese makes a quick and easy sauce to toss with your favourite pasta.

For 454g of pasta follow directions below. Serves 4-6 depending on portion size.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, drain and return the pasta to the pot.
Toss the pasta with 3/4 cup of pesto and some of the reserved cooking water to thin out the sauce a little.
You can adjust the consistency of the sauce with a little more pesto or cooking water to your liking.
Serve with freshly cracked peppercorns and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

How Long Is Basil Pesto Good For?

This basil pesto recipe is at its best while the flavours are bright, bold and strong. But it also keeps well in the fridge for approximately 2 weeks.

However, you’ll want to keep it covered with an extra layer of extra-virgin olive oil in the jar to prevent the basil from oxidizing or turning brown.

For longer storage, you can freeze the pesto for up to 3 months.

And, as a personal choice I recommend freezing without the cheese for optimal flavor. I’ve found that freezing with the cheese changes the overall appearance and taste.

Enjoy! And happy pesto making!

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Pesto Alla Genovese (Classic Basil Pesto)

Pesto Alla Genovese, a classic basil pesto sauce. It's so quick and easy to make with fresh basil, pine nuts, extra-virgin olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and garlic.

Prep Time15 mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Basil Pesto, Pesto all Genovese

Servings:

Calories: 254kcal

Equipment

Food Processor

Ingredients

4 cups fresh basil leaves (packed) rinsed and patted dry
1/3 cup pine nuts
3 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt I used fine sea salt
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions

Place the basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt and extra virgin olive oil in a food processor or blender.
Pulse and process on high while using the shortest amount of time so the basil does not lose its vibrant green colour .
Transfer the basil mixture into a small bowl and stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Toss with your favourite pasta, gnocchi or even a potato salad. Or, use as a base for pizza topping.
It's also wonderful served alongside grilled chicken or fish.

Notes

Storing Instructions: Homemade basil pesto keeps quite well in the fridge, in an air tight jar, for approximately 2 weeks. When storing, always keep a thin layer of oil on the surface as this will keep the basil from turning brown or oxidizing.

Freezing Instructions: For optimal flavour freeze without the cheese for up to 3 months.

For A Quick And Easy Sauce To Toss With Pasta

Pesto alla Genovese makes a quick and easy sauce to toss with your favourite pasta.

For 454g of pasta follow directions below. Serves 4-6 depending on portion size.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, drain and return the pasta to the pot.
Toss the pasta with 3/4 cup of pesto and some of the reserved cooking water to thin out the sauce a little.
You can adjust the consistency of the sauce with a little more pesto or cooking water to your liking.
Serve with freshly cracked peppercorns and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Nutrition

Easy Homemade Artichoke Pesto

April 20, 2018 by Marisa 24 Comments

A delightfully Easy Homemade Artichoke Pesto sauce made with oil and vinegar preserved artichokes, walnuts and parsley. This pesto is bursting with unmistakable fresh flavours and comes together in mere minutes.

Nowadays its quite easy to find a variety of pesto sauces in your local grocery stores.

But for once, I urge you to skip the store bought variety and try a homemade version from your own kitchen. Once you do, you’ll never go back!

For one, the flavours are far more superior! But mostly its really just so, so easy to make your own.

A food processor speeds up the process but also a hand held emulsion blender would work equally well here.

Also a homemade pesto can be customized to your own personal tastes. The walnuts can be substituted with almonds or other favourite nuts.

And if you follow a vegan diet, you can simply omit the Parmesan cheese. This would still give you quite a flavourful and tasty sauce with all the nutritional benefits.

Artichokes are one of the more staple vegetables I grew up with and just adore. But I admit that they’re quite a chore to clean and require lots of hands on experience to trim.

To simplify this pesto sauce I opted for oil and vinegar packed artichokes with the stems attached that are sold in glass jars. I drained them well and patted them down with paper towels because I really wanted the taste of my extra virgin olive oil to come through.

However, you can use frozen artichokes but just remember to thaw them first!

How To Use Artichoke Pesto

There are many ways you can enjoy this Easy Homemade Artichoke Pesto.

You can use it as a condiment in your favourite sandwich, much as I do when preparing my Pan Grilled Chicken Panini

Or you can slather the pesto over crostini as a quick appetizer.

It’s also equally delicious accompanied alongside poultry or fish and makes an amazing quick sauce to toss with pasta of your choice.

Speaking of pasta, I would definitely say that these Trucchetti noodles with the elongated and twisted shapes make a perfect pairing with the creamy pesto sauce.

The twisted form creates little crevices which traps and cradles the artichoke pesto and delivers lots of yummy goodness in every bite.

First off, when tossing the pasta with the pesto use some of the cooked pasta water to thin the sauce. Use only as much as needed to ensure even distribution throughout the pasta dish.

As a result you’ll be enjoying a wonderfully delicious pasta meal with a delightful creamy and flavourful sauce!

Buon Appetito!

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

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Easy Homemade Artichoke Pesto

A delightfully Easy Homemade Artichoke Pesto sauce made with walnuts and parsley, bursting with fresh flavors and ready in mere minutes.

Prep Time20 mins

Course: Condiment, Sauce

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Easy Homemade Artichoke Pesto

Servings: cups

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

12 ounce jar of oil packed artichokes
1/2 cup walnuts
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups firmly packed Italian parsley
2 generous pinches of chili pepper
2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to your taste

Instructions

In a food processor add the first 7 ingredients and with the motor running pour in the extra virgin olive oil and pulse just until you get a smooth paste.
Stir in the salt and pepper to your taste.
You can use artichoke pesto as a condiment in sandwiches, tossed with your favorite pasta or simply to enhance the flavors in a particular dish.

Notes

STORE PESTO in the fridge for up to 1 week with a layer of oil over the top to keep the greens from oxidizing or freeze for longer shelf life.

Easy Marinara Sauce

August 9, 2015 by Marisa 15 Comments

A simple and Easy Marinara Sauce made with good quality San Marzano canned tomatoes.

Marinara Sauce From Scratch

Canned tomatoes make a delicious Easy Marinara Sauce.

The key to making this super easy tomato sauce is good quality San Marzano tomatoes as well as the best and freshest onions, celery, carrots and garlic. You will be rewarded with the most sensational aromas and intense flavours of a great simple sauce.

Basil is one of my absolute favourite herb and I love to use both the dry and fresh basil in my tomato sauce. The dried variety is great for a long simmering pasta sauce as it has time to infuse the dish with its sweet scent.

When I have an abundance of fresh basil, I will add a couple of springs during the simmering time. Then I’ll simply fish it out and finish the sauce with an additional layer of shredded basil just before serving.

Taking the time to sauté the onions until they are translucent ensures a sauce full of flavour.

What is Marinara Sauce Used For?

This recipe is so versatile, one I turn to when making my Chicken Parmesan with Kale or serving it alongside my Arancini. It is also my go to recipe for simmering melt in your mouth meatballs.

It can also be served with any pasta of your choice.

After draining the cooked pasta, I prefer to coat it with a ladle or two of tomato sauce. Then stir well, plate and add additional sauce with a generous sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

It’s also wonderful over gnocchi or you can use it in your favourite baked pasta dishes.

Alternately, you can add some hot chilli flakes while it’s simmering and use as a spicy dipping sauce.

This recipe makes enough to fill 2 mason jars. It can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or can be frozen for later use.

Buon Appetito!

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Easy Marinara Sauce

A simple and Easy Marinara Sauce made with good quality San Marzano canned tomatoes, and a medley of chopped onions, carrots and celery.

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Easy Marinara Sauce, Pasta Sauce

Servings:

Calories: 98kcal

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
2 medium onions peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves minced
2 28 ounces canned San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes crushed
1 tablespoon dry basil
2 springs of fresh basil intact on the branch plus an additional
1/2 cup shredded basil
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Pour the olive oil in a sauce pot and stir in the chopped carrots, celery, onions and minced garlic. Add a pinch or two of salt and pepper.
Cook for about 8 minutes or just until the vegetables soften and the onions are translucent. (Taking the time to sauté the onions until they are translucent ensures a sauce full of flavor.)
Pour in the crushed tomatoes. Fill the tomato cans with 3/4 full of water, give it a good swirl to release any tomato bits resting at the bottom of the can and add this to the pot.
Stir in the dry basil and the 2 basil sprigs, salt and pepper. Turn up the heat, cover and bring your sauce up to a boil, stirring and checking frequently. Once you have an active boil, reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer covered for 1 hour stirring occasionally.
At this point the sauce should have thickened and reduced by a quarter. If not, simply remove the lid, turn up the heat a little and let it cook for a half hour longer. When it becomes concentrated enough, you will know it is ready. Just before serving fish out the two sprigs of basil and add in the additional 1/2 cup shredded basil. Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed.

Nutrition