How to make pesto

Liguria is tied to its basil almost like it's tied to its sea. Here the particular microclimate and the ideal land favor the growth of one variety with a particularly balanced scent and taste.

The area considered ideal to cultivate the best quality basil is the one that goes from Genova Pra to Genova Pegli, extending west to Palmaro and east to Coronata.

The way to prepare pesto also conditions its flavor. The old wood pestel crushed the leaves, shredding them thanks to the circular movement of the wrist. Thus shredded the basil yielded all of its flavor.

Today's modern mixer, when cutting the leaves, burns the end of the capillaries and it blocks them: this prevents some of the flavor they contained from exiting the leaves. In addition, the heat produced from the high velocity of the blades facilitates the evaporation and the alteration of the aromatic oils. Wood pestel and marble mortar remain therefore ideal for the preparation of pesto.

Ingredients and recipe:
One garlic clove, basil, Sardinian pecorino cheese and parmesan, grated and mixed together.
Pound all the ingredients with a little butter until it becomes a paste. Finally mix in fine extra virgin olive oil in abundance.
You can use this sauce with lasagne, tagliolini, gnocchi and troffie.
Add in also some warm water without salt in order to make it more liquid.