Ingredienti
for 4
[ 60 g | 2 oz ] basil
[ 50 g | 1 2/3 oz ] parmigiano
[ 20 g | 2/3 oz ] pecorino
2 tbsp pinoli
1 clove garlic
6 tbsp olive oil, at least
salt
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Ricetta
Place the basil, pinoli, garlic and most of the olive oil in a food processor and pulse until the leaves are reduced to tiny specks. Do not overblend.
Add the grated cheeses, taste, and adjust for salt and olive oil. Serve with linguine or troffie adding extra parmigiano and olive oil as necessary.
Notes:
Pesto is from Genova where its preparation has transcended cuisine and become an art if not an intransigent cult guided by an infallible dogma. Here is how you can avoid sacrilege.
It all starts with the religious attention devoted to basil. Purists will require that the basil be grown in Pra, a western neighborhood of Genova. Most Genoese won't even eat pesto made with basil that wasn't grown on land with a view of the sea. Admittedly there are slight differences between basil grown in Pra and in other parts of the region. A discerning palate is able to detect the slight bitterness, a minty aftertaste, and more fibrous consistency of other basils.
Regardless of where it was grown the best basil for pesto has small delicate leaves. In Genova the plant is harvested when it is just [ 8cm | 3 in ] tall, when its tiny leaves have reached the best balance between aroma and tenderness. If you grow your own basil and want to use it for pesto, keep it short (about [ 12-15 cm | 5-6 in]) by picking the small leaves growing at the apex. This will stimulate the growth of offshoots and more viable leaves. Avoid using leaves that are larger than [ 4 cm | 1.5 in ] since they will produce a bitter and grass-like pesto. Use them for a pasta sauce, or pizza, or whatever, but not Genoese pesto.
When Genova was a mercantile empire in the 12th and 13th centuries, it colonized, among other places, Sardinia which produces the pecorino traditionally used in the recipe. Pecorino sardo is still an artisanal product and unlike its cousin, pecorino romano, it is not produced in large establishments that ensure uniformity and consistency. It is easier to find pecorino romano on the market and it is a valid substitute.
Pecorino adds character and weight to pesto. If you like you can increase the amount until it is about as much as the parmigiano, [ 50 g | 2 2/3 oz]. When using pecorino sardo be sure to taste the cheese before hand since the intensity of its flavor varies tremendously depending on how long its been aged and which caseificio made it.
In Liguria, the region of Italy where Genova is located, the olive oil is fragrant, slighlty pungent and has a low acidity--perfect for pesto.
The balance between bitterness and sweetness is established by pinoli. If you must err, err on the side opposite of caution and add more pinoli than indicated. (Pinoli are almost omnipresent in Genoese cuisine).
Back in the day pesto used to be made with half a clove of garlic per person. If you want an old school pesto, add lots of garlic and use dense, hard, aged pecorino sardo. It will keep your taste buds, and probably your digestion, busy well into the next day.
The rigorously correct way to prepare pesto is with a mortar and pestle. In fact the word pesto comes the verb describing the grinding. Coarse sea salt is used both for its flavor and to facilitate crushing the basil. This method releases more of the aromatic oils in the basil compared to the cutting action of a food processor.
Start with the basil and salt in a large marble mortar and a comfortable wooden pestle. Work for a while then add the pinoli, garlic, cheese and finally oil, working some more in between each addition. The final product should have finely crushed basil leaves; it takes a bit of time.
Troffie is a type of pasta that comes from Golfo Paradiso, between Genova and Camogli. It is a short tight curl that holds pesto well. Otherwise use trenette (or bavette, or linguine; different names for the same type of pasta).
Some people like to add small cubes of potatoes and green beans to their pasta al pesto.
Store in an airtight container adding enough olive to just cover the surface completely. This will prevent the pesto from oxidizing (it blackens, just like a cut apple that is left out).
Copyright © 2001-2009 Gianmarco Pinton
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