Things You'll Need:
- 2 Handfuls Fresh Basil
- 2 tbsp Pinenuts
- 1.5 oz Parmesan Cheese
- 1.5 oz Pecorino Romano
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1 cup olive oil
- salt
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Step 1
Pick high quality ingredients. Pesto really relies on fresh, quality ingredients to get that wonderful flavor. Pick up your basil at a local farmer's market or from your own garden.
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Step 2
Wash and dry the basil thoroughly, remove any hard stems. Grate the cheeses. Add these to a food processor with the peeled garlic cloves, pinenuts and a touch of salt (remember that the cheeses we are using are pretty salty so you can go light with the additional salt).
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Step 3
Process the ingredients for about 30-45 seconds. The mixture should be uniformly smooth and smell wonderful at this point. Transfer the contents to a mixing bowl and begin stirring in the olive oil little by little until a rich creamy texture is obtained.
Warning: Don't use the food processor to mix in the oil, it tends to make the pesto too smooth and it looses its texture becoming more like the oily stuff you get from a jar. -
Step 4
Traditionally (in Genoa) this dish is served with Gnocchi (potato pasta).
To serve, cook the Gnocchi in salted boiling water until they float (about 3-4 min), drain return to pan and mix in the Pesto.
