Pesto

PESTO
Basil Sauce

Pesto comes from the verb pestare, meaning to crush or beat.  Pesto is a very old sauce, especially in cities on the sea, often hedged in by mountains and enemy fleets that might prevent access to food. In fact, all ingredients used in pesto can be kept for long periods while the basil could be easily grown on the windowsills and preserved in oil for a long time.

Pesto is most associated with Genoa, on the Ligurian sea, where this very popular condiment is said to have been created. The basil here has a particular scent and is not too reminiscent of mint.

8 oz. very fresh basil (if possible, use leaves from plants not yet in blossom)
1/2 cup pine nuts (or toasted walnut kernels)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tbs. Parmigiano
1 tbs. Pecorino
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt

Wash the basil leaves and dry with a clean cloth. Place in a mortar. Add pine nuts, the garlic and a pinch of salt. Pound these ingredients with a circular motion of the pestle. Carry on until you achieve a soft green paste. Put the paste in a bowl and gradually drip in the oil. Mix well and set aside. Add cheese just before using, and more oil if necessary.
The preferred pasta with pesto is trenette. Boil the water with the addition of a finely sliced potato. Cook pasta in the usual manner, drain, reserve a small amount of the water. Before dressing the pasta add a little bit of the water to the bowl with pesto and gently stir in order to obtain a fluid creamy sauce.

Toss the pasta with pesto (the potatoes will have disintegrated to form a grainy texture on each string of pasta so the sauce can cling better to it). Add a little cooking water if the pasta is too dry. Toss well and serve immediately.  Pesto may also be used for minestrone genovese

Note: 4 oz. pesto should be enough for 1 lb. of pasta.

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PESTO DI FAVE
Fava Bean Sauce

Of Ligurian origin, this particular version of pesto comes from the Western part of the Ligurian coast stretching from Genoa to the French border. It is served as dressing for boiled meats.

a handful of fresh fava beans
2-3 leaves fresh mint
3-4 cloves garlic
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt

Pod a handful of fresh fava beans removing the cuticle. Put them in a mortar with 2-3 leaves of fresh mint and 3-4 cloves of garlic. Pound well while adding extra-virgin olive oil with normal pesto. Add salt to taste.

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PESTO ERICINO
Pesto from Erice

This version of pesto comes from the Sicilian town of Erice, near Trapani, and is common in most of Western Sicily.

8 oz. basil
1 cup rosated almonds
3 cloves garlic
9 oz. tomatoes
toasted breadcrumbs
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt
pepper

In a mortar, pound the garlic with the basil and the almonds and a pinch of salt until you get a creamy texture. Pound the peeled tomato fillets as well. Blend the tomatoes into the sauce adding oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Pesto ericino is used to dress different types of pasta, especially fresh hand-made pasta like orecchiette o cavatelli, as well as rigatoni and conchiglie.