GenoVese

Genova
LIGURIA
Savona
Imperia
La Spezia
PESTO
GenoVese
To prepare classic Pesto alla GenoVese
you need, first of all, a traditional marble mortar
for slowly and carefully grinding together basil
from Pra’ with coarse sea salt, Italian pine nuts
and garlic from Vessalico. When the basil has
released its fragrant green juices, add the grated
Parmigiano-Reggiano and pecorino or fresh goat
cheese and, finally, abundant extra virgin olive
oil from Liguria to harmonize all the ingredients.
At the Academia Barilla Restaurants we use
Pesto alla GenoVese sauce because
only a few recipes become a genuine tradition.
THIS IS WHY OUR FOOD IS BETTER THAN GOOD.
On the high plains of Pra’ there lived a monk who,
sick of the poor quality meat which was all the faithful
were willing to donate, attempted to ennoble it with the aromatic
herb that grew in abundance around the monastery:
BaSiL
To this, he added the other ingredients the faithful had donated
- a little oil, salt, Pine nuts GiVen
by the inhabitants of Pisa
and some scraPinGs of a hard old
Piece of cheese -
and ground them all together with a little salt
into the sauce which was about to be born and
which is now known to the world as pesto.
And if pesto alla genovese can restore dignity
to bad meat, just imagine what it can do to
a dish of fresh pasta.
Jacopo da Ponte called Bassano, “Il banchetto del ricco epulone”, engraving (1554).
By courtesy of the Academia Barilla Gastronomic Library.