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Pesto Genovese in mortar

Authentic Pesto Genovese

Authentic homemade pesto Genovese made with a mortar and pestle
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Sauce
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups basil leaves fresh, 50 g
  • 7 tbsp olive oil extra virgin, 100 ml
  • 6 tbsp Parmesan cheese grated
  • 2 tbsp Pecorino cheese grated
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp pine nuts
  • salt

Instructions
 

  • Wash the basil leaves and dry off the excess water by placing them on paper towels or a kitchen towel. Grate the cheese, and crush the garlic cloves slightly with a knife to make them easier to mash in the mortar.
    Dry fresh basil leaves
  • Put the basil leaves and garlic into a mortar or blender and start mashing them.
    Basil leaves garlic in mortar
  • Once you get a mushy consistency with some bits of basil leaf still visible, add the pine nuts and continue mashing. The pine nuts will absorb much of the moisture from the basil, and the mixture will start to look more and more like real pesto Genovese.
    Homemade pesto Genovese recipe 1
  • Add the grated cheese and continue mashing. At the end of this stage, your pesto will be quite dry.
    Homemade pesto Genovese recipe 2
  • At last, add the extra virgin olive oil and stir thoroughly.
    Pesto Genovese in mortar
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