It comes from the region of of Ligura, who’s capital is Genova. Its main ingredient is the basil, along with pine nuts, garlic, parmesan cheese and olive oil.
Its name comes from the genovese “pestare”, which means to grind in a mortar or crush, which is the traditional way to make this sauce, a healthy choice to go with pastas, with a lot of Mediterranean flavor.
The ingredients of this sauce have great nutritional virtues, among them, pine nuts give fiber and healthy fats to the dish which, together with the fat acids from the olive oil, benefit the heart’s health. On the other hand, the parmesan cheese gives its high quality proteins and the basil is, along with pine nuts, a source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Pesto sauce is ideal to accompany Mediterranean style pasta, also very healthy, for with this sauce we add potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, fiber, quality proteins, healthy fats and antioxidants in a food rich in complex hydrates.
Ingredients
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50 gr. Basil leaves |
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4 tablespoons Pine Nuts |
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2 a 4 Garlic cloves |
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120 ml. (½ cup) extra virgin Olive Oil |
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115 gr. of freshly grated Parmesan Cheese |
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25 gr. of freshly grated Pecorino Cheese |
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Salt |
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Pepper |
Utensils
| Mortar or blender |
| Spoon or paddle |
| Container |
Preparation
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Grind the basil, garlic and pine nuts until a smooth paste.
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Add 60 ml. of olive oil and whisk to give a creamy paste.
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Add the remaining oil slowly in a thin thread, while moving to get an emulsion.
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Add the cheese and stir with a paddle.
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Adjust flavor with salt and pepper to taste.
