Pesto alla Genovese - Homemade Basil Pesto

Instructions

Basil

• Use fresh basil leaves.

• Sort out wilted leaves.

• Roughly sort out stems, a few are fine.

• The more basil you use proportionally, the fresher, but also more bitter, the pesto will taste.

Pine Nuts

• Use pine nuts whose taste you love even plain. Pine nuts can taste very different depending on the brand, sometimes nutty, sometimes bitter. If you use bad pine nuts, the whole pesto can be ruined.

• More pine nuts contribute to a creamier consistency.

• Too many pine nuts can dampen the freshness of the basil.

Parmesan

• For the optimal aroma, I recommend aged Pecorino.

• Too much Parmesan can make the pesto too salty, so taste carefully.

• If the consistency is too dry, more olive oil must be added.

Olive Oil

• More olive oil contributes to better creaminess.

• Too much olive oil can make the pesto seem greasy and quickly overpower the other flavors.

Preparation

• Roast the pine nuts (pan without fat, stir often).

• Pick fresh basil leaves.

• Mix roasted pine nuts, fresh basil leaves, and garlic into a coarse paste.

• Slowly mix in the olive oil while stirring constantly.

• Add the Parmesan.

• Mix again and taste: add more Parmesan, pine nuts, or olive oil depending on your taste preference.

Enjoy!