How to Make Knock-Out, Authentic, Pesto From Genoa

| Comments | 8 TrackBacks
pestofinal
(photo: close up of pesto sauce)

Growing up in New Jersey I was surrounded by people from all over the world; on my block alone I remember families from Italy, Egypt, Lebanon, England, Spain, etc.; needless to say, the aroma of food hovered on our small block like haze hovers over Los Angeles.  

One of my favorite food smells came from my next door neighbor Amelia.  Amelia worked in the New York City garment district as a dress designer, but her real passion was food (and the occasional Americano cocktail in the afternoon).  Amelia was also born in Genoa, Italy - the Pesto capital of the world. You see, in Genoa (given it's geographic position), basil grows like wild flowers.  And the basil in Genoa isn't the metallic, bitter herb you find in your run of the mill supermarket in the US, rather it's sweet, aromatic, and more equivalent to a succulent peach then an herb.

(photo: basil from our garden)

(photo: the end product)

I was lucky enough to watch Amelia make pesto on several occasions as a teenager and to this day I still use her traditional Genovese recipe when I make pesto at home.  The following is Amelia's recipe with a few caveats:

1. Try to find "young" basil; that is to say, first picked basil usually tends to be sweeter and less bitter.  Growing basil is fairly easy and I would recommend purchasing seeds from Europe.  

2. Amelia included a bit of parsley in her recipe and while it's not usually called for in most Pesto recipes it adds another layer of complexity to the mixture.

Ingredients:

  • One, large, bunch of basil leaves (washed and dried very well; excess water is not good for the end product)
  • One handful of Italian parsley (washed and dried) - you can leave some of the parsley stem, but make sure to cut off about half the stem.
  • One cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano (grated on a box grater) - see my guide to Italian cheese
  • 3-4 tablespoons of cream cheese (yes, don't laugh, but it's OPTIONAL)
  • Handful of pine nuts
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 4-5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic



Process:

You can combine the above ingredients via several tools, namely, 1. food processor, 2., mortar and pestle, or 3. chopping with a large chef's knife or mezzaluna.  Amelia used a mortar and pestle, but you can use a food processor (it does take a little bit away from the flavor of the pesto given the strength of the blade/machine, but, to be blunt, it's tough to get the right consistency with a mortar and pestle set up unless you're accustomed to the tool). 101 Cookbooks swears that a mezzaluna is the best tool, but I think if you use a knife for pesto you're getting more of an alio e olio type of pasta condiment.  

If you're going to use a food processor, start by adding the garlic and pulsing.  Thereafter, add your basil, parsley, and pine nuts.  Let the machine process the ingredients and slowly add your oil, salt, and pepper.  Thereafter, add your cream cheese and pulse again.  Finally, add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and the remaining olive oil.  You are looking for a consistency just before the mixture turns into a paste.

I like serving pesto with thin linguine (or linguine fine) and tend to add a splash of fresh olive after plating and, of course, more Parmigiano-Reggiano. A dry red wine like Aglianico from Basilicata (southern Italy) goes well with pasta pesto


Related Posts with Thumbnails

8 TrackBacks

TrackBack URL: http://www.scordo.com/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/scordo/managed-mt/mt-tb.cgi/255

(photo: completed pesto sauce in a bowl made from the famous ceramic factories in Bagnara Calabra)Chitarra is similar to spaghetti, but with squared edges. It was once cut on guitar strings, hence its unique name.  Here's a great link to... Read More

We covered lots of food here on Scordo.com, including some not so healthy, everyday type of, dishes or recipes (salami, cheese, fried rice balls, etc.).  In turn, I've searched the archives of the site and found 9 healthy, and... Read More

(photo: courtesy of Dr. K., whole wheat bread toasted with a pesto and sun dried tomato topping) One of the most attractive principles of Italian cooking is that with a few simple, yet high quality, ingredients one can create wonderful... Read More

2010 Sangaspano Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Italian Food and Recipes - Scordo.com on June 24, 2011 10:53 AM

 (photo: Sangaspano extra virgin olive oil from Messina, Sicilia)On the morning of December 28th, 1908 a massive earthquake and associated tsunami hit the western province of Calabria and moved across the Stretto di Messina into Sicilia destr... Read More

Photos From An Italian Garden in America, Part II from Italian Food and Recipes - Scordo.com on July 11, 2011 2:46 PM

 (photo: flat green beans, arugula, basil, and Japanese eggplant)Back in August of last year we posted some photos of our Italian American garden and we thought we'd share an updated series of photos from our current garden.  We re... Read More

The now immortalized copywriter turned French cook Julia Child remarked once that, "anyone can make a bowl of pasta but it takes a skilled chef to put out a fine French meal."  You can imagine my reaction to the quote... Read More

Pesto Chicken (Pollo al Pesto) from Italian Food and Recipes - Scordo.com on October 6, 2011 7:39 AM

(photo: simple chicken breast and pesto sauce)I generally like the Fall season and welcome the change in climate, but I always mourn the loss of my second favorite herb on the planet (parsley is number one in my book)... Read More

Chiappetta Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Calabria from Italian Food and Recipes - Scordo.com on October 20, 2011 12:22 PM

(photo: bottle of 500 ml Chiappetta Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Calabria, courtesy of Chiappetta web site)Located just north of Cosenza in Calabria, San Vincenzo La Costa is a comune made up of small villages including San Vincenzo, Gesuiti, ... Read More

scordo on twitter scordo.com on facebook become a fan stumble scordo rss feed for scordo

Scordo.com Free Newsletter - Sign Up Today
* indicates required

BECOME A FAN OF SCORDO ON FACEBOOK:



GOOD READING:



MORE ABOUT US:



FEATURED STORIES:


Homemade Sun Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil Recipe
Don't settle for the canned varieties found at supermarkets; find out how to make your own [+]


How to Make Authentic Tomato Sauce
This is the authentic Scordo family recipe - straight from Calabria. You'll be amazed at how simple the recipe is to make [+]


Guide to Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
My grandfather produced his own extra virgin olive oil in Italy and I've put together an olive oil buying guide just for you [+]


How to Make Rice Balls or Arancini At Home
The ultimate Italian street food - these fried treats are great for the holidays or for any lunch or dinner; try them with your kids [+]


Guide to Making Espresso at Home
Making good espresso at home isn't easy but once you master a few easy tips you'll never settle for the junk served at most cafes in the US, including Starbucks [+]


Why You Should Not Eat Out
My argument on why eating out doesn't make sense [+]


Guide to Italian Meats: Salame, Capicola, Prosciutto, etc.
Learn all about the great "deli meats" and authentic cured specialties from Italy [+]


Scordo Pizza Recipe
Who doesn't love pizza, but did you know it's real easy to make at home [+]

 


English to Italian Translation Powered by
Grab this Widget


SPONSORS, AFFILIATES, SUPPORTERS:

Italian Food and Life Site


mymelange
Independent Budget Backpacking Travel Tips

Advertise with Scordo.com
Advertise with Scordo.com

 


 

DONATE AND HELP KEEP US GOING:

 

Feeling generous and want to help keep Scordo.com producing fresh and original content?

 

QUESTIONS, IDEAS, TIPS:

 

email scordo.com: blog at scordo.com

 

 

Note: The views expressed herein are solely my own and should not be attributed to my employer in any way. This site is not maintained utilizing my employer's resources or on company time.

 

RSS feed graphic for scordo.com Subscribe to Scordo.com via RSSBlog Flux Directory