Introduction
Pesto alla genovese is a raw green sauce of basil, pine nuts, garlic, cheese and olive oil. Tossed with pasta, it is a summer dish that needs no cooking apart from the pasta. In Genoa it is served with trofie or trenette, cooked in the same pot as sliced potatoes and green beans, which makes the dish more filling.
The sauce comes from Liguria, the coastal region around Genoa, and its name comes from pestare, “to pound”: it was made in a marble mortar. The recipe as we know it was written down in the 19th century. A mortar gives the best texture; a food processor is quicker, if you pulse briefly so the basil doesn’t heat and darken. Both Parmigiano and Pecorino are traditionally made with animal rennet.
Ingredients
- 400 g pasta (trofie, linguine or penne)
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly
- 150 g green beans, cut in half
- salt
For the pesto:
- 1 garlic clove
- a pinch of coarse salt
- 50 g fresh basil leaves (about 3 bunches)
- 30 g pine nuts
- 50 g Parmesan, finely grated
- 20 g Pecorino, finely grated
- 100 ml mild olive oil
Tools
- A pestle and mortar, or a food processor
- A large pot
- A colander
Preparation
- Pound the garlic with the coarse salt in the mortar until creamy. Add the basil a handful at a time and grind it against the sides, with a circular movement, until it becomes a green paste.
- Add the pine nuts and crush them, then the cheeses. Stir in the oil little by little. The pesto should be thick.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the potatoes and pasta. Add the beans 5 minutes before the end of the pasta’s cooking time.
- Before draining, keep a cup of the cooking water. Drain.
- In a large bowl, loosen the pesto with 2 or 3 tablespoons of cooking water, then add the pasta, potatoes and beans and toss well. Do not heat the pesto: it loses its colour and taste. Serve at once.