Pesto Genovese

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 1 bunch of basil
• 50 g Parmesan and/or Pecorino
• 80 ml olive oil, good
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 0.2 tsp pepper
• 1 handful of pine nuts or walnuts, roasted

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 10 minutes

Toast the pine nuts in a pan over medium heat without oil until golden brown. Important: Let them cool. Pluck the basil leaves and place them in a mortar or mixing bowl. Peel the garlic cloves, mince them slightly, and add them to the basil. Add the cooled pine nuts and sea salt (the coarse salt in a mortar ensures that the basil leaves are finely ground). Gradually add the olive oil and pound until all the ingredients are finely ground and form a creamy consistency. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to purée everything as quickly as possible. Grate the Parmesan cheese very finely and stir it into the pesto at the end. If all the basil leaves don’t fit in the mortar at once, purée in batches with the other ingredients. If you want to store the pesto, you can put it in a mason jar and cover it well with a layer of olive oil. This way, the pesto will keep for a few days in the refrigerator. I recommend always making the pesto fresh. Note: Originally, Italians use a large granite mortar for pesto. Those who prefer the traditional way can use one, but it will require some muscle power and patience. Hand-pouring the pesto prevents it from oxidizing. It’s faster with an immersion blender or blender. To prevent oxidation, I use ice cubes. However, be careful not to blend the pesto for too long.