pesto

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

Kale Walnut Pesto with Spaghetti

August 21, 2019 by Marisa 8 Comments

Kale and Walnut Pesto with Spaghetti is a healthy, nutrient packed pasta dish. It’s easy and quick to put together which makes it simply perfect for any day of the week.

What do you make when a copious amount of homegrown kale lands on your kitchen counter?

My daughter and son-in-law organically grow their own kale and say that it literally grows like weed in their garden. There is just so much of it! And seeing that they were on their way down south for a week, I was the happy recipient of these nutrient dense greens.

Normally I would simply rub the washed and dried leaves with olive oil and toss in my salads. Or add handfuls of the chopped green leaves to most soup bases.

But then I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to preserve this summer’s bounty by making some home made pesto!

Pesto is a wonderful way of preserving leafy greens and can be used or added to various recipes.

It’s also convenient to have on hand at a moment’s notice as this quick sauce is so versatile.

Prepping Kale

The kale you see here is more of a flat leaf variety with purplish veins and large overgrown leaves.

But really you can use any type of kale that you may find. Prepping will be the same!

You’ll need to rinse and pat the leaves down dry.
With a knife carve out the fibrous and thick part of the vein and stem. But don’t discard the stems, you can freeze and use the stems in soups.
Coarsely chop the leaves before adding to the food processor as this makes it easier to pack in and pulse.

Not everyone enjoys the slight bitterness of raw kale. But you can deflect some of that bitterness by combining the kale leaves with other leafy greens or herbs.

Some that work quite well are:

Arugula
Baby Spinach
Basil
Mint
Parsley

And if you want a Vegan Kale Walnut Pesto simply omit the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese altogether.

You can also substitute walnuts with:

Pinenuts
Almonds
Pecans
Cashews

Do you have a nut allergy in the family? You can omit the nuts for a nut free alternative!

How To Use Kale Walnut Pesto

Aside from using kale walnut pesto with spaghetti, or another pasta of your choice, you can also use it for:

Slathering on sandwich bread such as these Pan Grilled Chicken Panini.
Spread it on flatbread or pizza dough then top with your favourite toppings.
Use it as a dip and serve with crudités, sliced veggies.
Dress up a platter of fresh mozzarella with sliced tomatoes topped with dollops of kale and walnut pesto.

My favourite way of serving this pesto is in tossing it with spaghetti which you can have on the dinner table in less than 30 minutes.

And, if you want to add an extra layer of flavour and texture then top your pasta with some homemade toasted bread crumbs.

It takes this dish to over the top gorgeous and delicious!

All you’ll need are some chopped crustless pieces of bread, pan toasted with a little olive oil and you’ll have some crunchy goodness to top your pasta with!

Although I’ve made a few batches, I still have quite a bit of kale leaves chilling in my fridge.

If you have any recommendations, leave me a comment below! I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Buon Appetito!

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Kale Walnut Pesto with Spaghetti

Kale and Walnut Pesto with Spaghetti is a healthy and flavourful pasta dish. It's quick and easy to put together and simply perfect for any day of the week.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Course: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Kale Walnut Pesto with Spaghetti

Servings:

Calories: 699kcal

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

2 cups kale (roughly chopped) rinsed, dried and firmly packed
1 cup Italian parsley (roughly chopped) Rinsed, dried and firmly packed
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup walnuts lightly toasted
lemon zest from one medium sized lemon
lemon juice from one medium sized lemon
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese freshly grated
red chili pepper flakes 2 generous pinches
salt and pepper to your taste
450 grams spaghetti
1 cup freshly toasted bread crumbs optional (see notes below)

Instructions

Kale Walnut Pesto

Fill a large sauce pot with water and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, start making the kale pesto.
Place the kale, parsley, garlic, walnuts, both the zest and juice of a lemon and the olive oil in a large food processor.
Pulse until smooth.
Transfer the pesto to a small bowl and stir in the cheese, chili flakes and salt & pepper to your taste.
Set the pesto aside while you cook the pasta.

Pasta

Bring a large pot of water to boil.
Once the water boils, salt the water and cook the spaghetti according to package instructions.
When the pasta is cooked, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water then drain the spaghetti.
Return the pasta to the sauce pot and toss with approximately 1/2 cup of pesto and the reserved pasta water.
Taste the pasta and add additional pesto if needed or simply to your liking.
Plate and serve with a dab of pesto, some extra cheese, a sprinkle of chilli pepper and toasted breadcrumbs if using.
You can store any remaining pesto for up to a week in the fridge.
Or freeze up to 1 month.

Notes

Toasted Breadcrumbs:

Use your favourite bread, crust removed and chopped into small pieces (approximately 1 cup).

Heat a skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the breadcrumbs.

Toast the crumbs while tossing frequently for about 5 minutes or until the crumbs turn golden brown.

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.