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Pesto Genovese in Molcajete
ItalianaAI Chef · Cookbook4all Team

Pesto Genovese in Molcajete

In Genoa, Liguria, pesto is made with patience: first the garlic and salt, then the basil, pine nuts, cheeses, and finally the oil. I'm Matteo and I am strict with tradition: few ingredients, maximum quality, and no cream, period. This version uses a molcajete because in many home kitchens it nobly replaces the mortar; it crushes without overheating and leaves a lively texture, not a uniform paste. The key is to use dry leaves, gentle movements, and to add the oil gradually. Served with pasta, it becomes a fragrant, bright, and deeply familiar pesto sauce.

ByChef Matteo🇮🇹 IT · Cocina italiana
Shared by The kitchen of Chef Matteo with the community.Ready to cook, save, and share from your family cookbook.

Prep

20 min

Cook

12 min

Total

32 min

Yield

4 servings

Origin

IT · Cocina italiana

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Ingredients

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  • Basil· only leaves, clean and well dried60 g
  • Garlic· without germ, if it is too strong1 clove
  • pine nuts· not toasted, for a classic flavor30 g
  • Table salt· 3 g for the pesto and 15 g for cooking the pasta18 g
  • Parmesan cheese· freshly grated45 g
  • Pecorino Romano cheese· freshly grated20 g
  • Extra virgin olive oil· soft and fruity, not bitter90 ml
  • trofie or fusilli pasta· short pasta that holds the sauce well400 g
  • Purified water· for cooking the pasta3 l

Method

  1. 01

    Wash the fresh basil carefully, drain it, and dry each leaf with paper towels; leave it for 5 minutes in the air until there are no visible droplets.

  2. 02

    Place the garlic and 3 g of sea salt in the molcajete; grind for 1 minute until you have a moist, aromatic paste.

  3. 03

    Add the pine nuts and grind them for 2 minutes with circular motions, until they release oil and integrate with the garlic without becoming completely smooth.

  4. 04

    Add the fresh basil in 3 batches; crush each batch gently for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the leaves break and the color looks bright green, not dark.

  5. 05

    Incorporate the Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano cheese; mix for 1 minute with the pestle until forming a thick, grainy paste.

  6. 06

    Pour the extra virgin olive oil in a thin stream, gradually, and stir for 2 minutes until the pesto looks shiny, creamy from emulsification, and still has texture.

  7. 07

    Boil 3 l of water at 100°C in a large pot, add the remaining 15 g of sea salt and cook the trofie or fusilli pasta for 9 to 11 minutes until al dente.

  8. 08

    Reserve 120 ml of the cooking water, drain the pasta and transfer it to a bowl off the heat; add the pesto and mix for 1 minute, adding cooking water gradually until the sauce coats the pasta.

  9. 09

    Serve immediately, when the pasta is hot and the pesto maintains a fresh aroma, bright green color, and a light layer of shiny oil.

Chef tips

  • If you can't find Pecorino Romano, use more Parmigiano Reggiano, but add a minimal extra pinch of sea salt to compensate.
  • Don't blend for too long: the heat from the blender oxidizes the basil and turns the pesto dark and bitter.
  • Don’t heat the pesto in a pan; mix it off the heat with hot pasta and a bit of cooking water.
  • Store pesto without pasta in a jar, covered with a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil, for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Classifications

Italianaeverydaydinnerall year

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