All the most importand foods in Italy have their own Consortium, which guards and protects the quality of a specific ingredient or recipes and set specific boundaries for how they should be. For example, the Consortium of the Balsamic Vinegar of Modena ensures that there is a guy (with a band on his chest and everything) supervising each time the vinegar gets trasnfered from one barrel to a smaller one in the seasoning process. Or, there’s another one that states that tagliatelle should be 7mm wide, and there’s another one guarding the exact recipe of the Bolognese.
Oh, Italians.
As you can then imagine, the official Pesto Genovese recipe from the Consortium exists, and it has some strict rules and you can read the recipe exactly as it is according to tradition at the website I linked.
Despite this, even Claudia Roden wrote about how each town in Liguria seemed to have its own variation on Pesto, adding more or less cheese, including the garlic or not, and so on. As a recipe that was once made to be added as a flavoring to soup, exactly like the Provençal soupe au pistou, it must have changed over time and finally settled into what it is today.
Particular as the Genoese may be about their pesto, and while the recipe remains more or less the same everywhere you go, even Italians allow some slight variations to it - the most common being using a blender rather than the traditional mortar and pestle.
The ingredients are quite easy to find outside of Italy too, so if you have a good bunch of basil available, give it a go!
I made a more adaptable version for those who want to make it with a hand blender, and possibly sub some ingredients.
There are two things that I think you really need to stick to, though: the cheese and the kind of basil. Sure, if you have pots and pots of any basil to use in your garden, anything will do. But if you specifically buy it for pesto, choose the kind with the large leaves that tend to curl on themselves. That is truly the kind of basil that screams Italy. I personally like the flat-leafed basil a lot less.
As for the cheese, try to use real Parmigiano or Grana Padano (which is even better, as it is less expensive). Don’t feel like you have to get the Pecorino too, just the Grana will be fine. If you don’t want to buy the cheese or don’t eat it, you can leave it out entirely. In this case, it is far better to leave it out than to substitute with another cheese. This works out perfectly if you’re vegan, too.
Also keep in mind that Grana can be vegetarian, while Parmigiano usually isn’t (check if it is written on the pack, it is usually indicated).
As for the olive oil, using a less flavorful one is ideal, so a good quality olive oil, even if not extra virgin, will do. Extra virgin olive oil, though, is always perfect and will make a richer pesto.
Pine nuts are expensive, but will truly make your pesto, well…pesto-like. As you don’t need many, I’d encourage to go and buy them, but if you prefer a cheaper alternative try walnuts, maybe cashews. Any other nut will make the pesto too grainy.
My favorite garlic to use is pink garlic, but any will do as long as it’s fresh and hasn’t been sitting for too long on your counter.
BEST VARIETIES OF BASIL TO MAKE PESTO
Of all the varieties of Ocimum Basilicum (the scientific name of all the family of basil) you can find, the variety you want is the ‘Italiano’ or ‘Genovese’ variety. It has very large, slightly curly leaves, and you can smell it from a distance. Here is an example of seeds you can find online.
Otherwise, you will find it under the name of common basil, with the same slightly curly round leaves, which is pretty much the same - could have smaller leaves. These are my favorite varieties for Italian and Mediterranean cooking and the varieties that really have the right flavor.
Greek basil (Basilicum minimum) also has the right flavor, but comes in bushes of tiny leaves.
PESTO o NON PESTO?
Does pesto made with a mortar taste better? yes it does. Is it worth the hassle? That is for you to decide. If, say, you’re watching an episode of Bridgerton and have nothing better to do with your hands, the mortar and pestle method is definitely worth a try. Otherwise, pull out your trusty immersion blender.
A FEW THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
Pesto will likely darken. How do you keep it from turning dark? Using young mortar & pestle and pounding the leaves with coarse salt will prevent it from darkening as the salt will have time to absorb the water from the basil, which would otherwise oxidize it. The blades of the blender kind of ‘cook’ the leaves, darkening them, but there is less of a chance of it turning brown if you refrigerate the blade and pulse rather than continuously blend.
Your pesto could turn out quite thick. As it is meant to be used with pasta, you are supposed to use pasta water to loosen it a bit. If using it on other preparations, like pizzas, you can put the quantity you want to use and loosen it with just a riny bit of hot water and some olive oil. don’t add water to the whole pot if you’re not planning to use it, as it will shorten its lifespan.
Pesto keeps and freezes well. Keep it covered with olive oil when in the fridge, this way it can even keep up to a week. If you’re planning to freeze it, use a little less olive oil when making it - you can add more when you’ll thaw it to loosen it.
PESTO AL BASILICO
This recipe doubles the original Ligurian one linked at the top of the page. All possible substitutions are indicated. For a vegan version, skip the cheese.
Makes about a cup and a half / 350 ml pot.
100 g Fresh basil leaves, washed and very well dried
250 ml / 1 cup good quality olive oil, or extra virgin olive oil
60-80 g grated Parmigiano or Grana padano
20 g grated Pecorino (or sub by adding more Parm or Grana)
1 to 3 garlic cloves, depending on your taste and preference
20 g pine nuts (you can sub with shalled walnuts)
A few grams or coars salt if using the mortar, 1/2 teaspoon salt if blending
IF USING A MORTAR AND PESTLE: add the salt and garlic, and pound them delicately together. When a paste forms, add the pine nuts and pound well to a paste (only the pine nuts and the walnuts, maybe cashews have the right consistency for this. Other nuts will not work). Start adding, a little at a time, the basil leaves, pounding in a circulat motion. This will take some time.
Add then che cheese(s) and, when incorporated, start adding the olive oil, by drizzling it in slowly. When all is creamy and well incorporated, it is ready!IN USING A BLENDER: any kind of blender will work, but I made mine with an immersion blender. Add all the ingredients to a tall container and blend. If there are any fibrous parts in the basil leaves, they will get stuck in the blade, and you can discard them. For best results, you can put the blade in the freezer for a few minutes before starting and proceed by quick, intermittent pulses - avoid blending for a long time.
USING THE PESTO: you can use as is in sandwiches, panini, mixed into a tomato salad with the addition of some extra virgin olive oil, as salad dressing, on top of fresh mozzarella, or, as classics go, on pasta. To use on pasta, reserve some of the cooking water. When tossing the cooking pasta with the pesto, you can add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a couple tablespoons or more of cooking water until you reach the desired consistency.
STORING: Store in the fridge, the top well covered in oil, up to 5-7 days. If planning to freeze, avoid adding the oil on top. You can add more oil after you thaw it.
As a gardener, I do wish you could tell us the variety of basil.
Gnam gnam. Opinion on using pecorino instead of parmi?