Genoese pesto (Basil Sauce)

Step 1

To prepare Genoese pesto (basil sauce), first of all you need t make sure the basil leaves are not washed, but cleaned with a soft cloth (1-2); also you need to make sure that the variety is Ligurian or Genoese basil, with narrow leaves (and not the southern kind with wide leaves, which often has a minty aroma). Start preparing the pesto by placing the peeled garlic in a mortar 3 .

Step 2

along with a few grains of coarse salt 4 . Start crushing the ingredients 4 and, when the garlic has been reduced to cream 5 , add the basil leaves together with a pinch of coarse salt 6 , which will serve to better crush the fibers and keep a nice bright green color.

Step 3

Crush the basil against the sides of the mortar by rotating the pestle from left to right and simultaneously rotate the mortar in the opposite direction (from right to left), taking it by the "handles", i.e. the 4 round protrusions on the sides of the mortar itself 7 . Continue this way until a bright green liquid comes out of the basil leaves 8 ; at this point add the pine nuts 9 and resume reducing the ingredients to a cream.

Step 4

Add the cheeses a little at a time, stirring continuously 10 , to make the sauce even creamier, and finally the extra virgin olive oil 11 poured in a stream, as you keep stirring with the pestle. Mix the ingredients well until you get a homogeneous sauce 12 . Your authentic Genoese pesto is ready to be used!