Pesto a la Genovese is a such a famous sauce, mainly for its simplicity, is one I did not come to appreciate until well in my 20’s. I made an attempt to make Pesto Tagliatelle as a student late in my teens with the store bought kind and I frankly thought it to be horrible in taste. I remember wondering what was all the fuss about pesto, given so many restaurants served it and apparently everyone around me loved it. Well…. I had not tried homemade pesto! My wonderful husband, who happens to be an incredible cook, made homemade pesto when he was cooking for me during one of our first dates. I kind of fell in love with pesto then and there! The richness and depth of flavour with only a handful of ingredients, genius!
The key really is good quality ingredients, the making requires very little and it can be used in so many ways. Not only pasta, but in salads, as stuffing for pork or chicken or as topping for pizza! Yes, pizza… it gives the most amazing flavour paired with pancetta and a good sourdough pizza bottom, yum!
Enjoy!
Homemade Creamy Pesto Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 clove garlic
- 75 gr aged Parmesan cheese crumbled
- 1 pot fresh basil or a big handful
- 30 gr pinenuts lightly toasted
- 250 ml extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
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Using a food processor or hand blender, crumble the cheese well.
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Add garlic and basil leaves and blitz well.
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Add the toasted pinenuts and about half the oil.
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Check texture and add more oil as required, salt and pepper to taste and blitz until you achieve your desired consistency.
Recipe Notes
I personally prefer the Pesto to be a bit on the chunky side as it gives a nice texture in pasta and salads.