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Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 20 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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This is a proper pesto, with the cheese, garlic, and pignoli providing subtle accompaniment to the bright freshness of basil. The mortar-and-pestle preparation keeps it from turning black, as it would if made with a knife or food processor. You can keep this pesto in the fridge up to six months, as long as you keep a thin film of oil floating on top. This is a thin sauce, not the thick, gloppy stuff you get in the supermarket. Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh basil, washed and thoroughly dried (80 medium sized leaves, about 1.5 ounces by weight) |
2 garlic cloves, peeled |
1 pinch salt |
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted |
3 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese |
3 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino cheese |
1 cup extra virgin olive oil |
Directions:
1. Pound the basil, garlic, salt and pine nuts together in the mortar until they are a paste. Start by grinding the mass against the sides of the mortar, using a twisting motion of the pestle. Once everything has been reduced to a paste, you can start pounding.
2. Slowly add the cheeses, about a tablespoon at a time, continuing to pound.
3. Once the cheeses are fully incorporated, scrape it into a bowl and begin slowly adding the olive oil, stirring constantly.
4. Transfer any leftovers into a sealable jar, and float a thin layer of oil on top.
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