Pesto alla Genovese

Ingredients7

• fresh Genovese basil leaves60 g
• pine nuts30 g
• garlic1 clove
• coarse sea salt1 pinch
• Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated50 g
• Pecorino Sardo or Pecorino Romano, finely grated20 g
• extra virgin olive oil100 ml

Method

1. Rinse the basil and pat it completely dry; discard thick stems.
2. Lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until just golden, then cool.
3. In a marble mortar, crush the garlic with the salt to a smooth paste.
4. Add the pine nuts and pound until creamy.
5. Add the basil a handful at a time, pounding and rotating the pestle until you have a bright green paste.
6. Stir in the cheeses, then drizzle in the olive oil while stirring until the pesto is thick and emulsified.
7. Taste and adjust salt; use immediately on hot pasta, loosened with a spoonful of pasta water.