Pasta with Pesto Genovese
Fresh basil pesto from the mortar with pine nuts and Parmesan, the scent of Liguria.
- Preparation
- 15 min
- Cook/bake time
- 12 min
- Total
- 27 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
A good Pesto alla Genovese needs no cooking time, just the best ingredients: young basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, Pecorino and fruity olive oil. Classically pounded in a mortar, the aroma remains fresh and bright green. With a little pasta water, it becomes creamy and coats every noodle. Traditionally served with Trofie or Linguine.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Toast the pine nuts
Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat until golden brown and let them cool. Toasting noticeably deepens their nutty aroma.
- 2
Pound the pesto
Grind the basil with a little coarse salt and the garlic in a mortar and add the pine nuts. Work in the cheese and finally stir in the olive oil gradually until a creamy paste forms. Alternatively, you can do it briefly in a blender, but do not let it overheat.
- 3
Cook the pasta
Cook the Linguine al dente and save a cup of pasta water before draining.
- 4
Combine
Do not heat the pesto under any circumstances. Mix the hot, drained pasta in a bowl with the pesto and a few spoons of pasta water until everything is creamy and evenly coated.
- 5
Serve
Serve immediately with extra Parmesan. It becomes truly Ligurian if you cook small potato cubes and green beans right along with the pasta.
Our best tips
- Never cook pesto, as the heat makes it dark and bitter. Only mix it with the warm pasta.
