Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups fresh Genovese basil leaves
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (or Pecorino Romano)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Crush garlic and salt in a mortar until it forms a paste.
- Add pine nuts and grind them into the mixture.
- Slowly add basil leaves, pressing gently to release natural flavors.
- Mix in grated Parmesan, blending well.
- Drizzle in olive oil gradually, stirring continuously until smooth.
- Serve immediately or store properly to maintain freshness.
Notes
For best results, use a mortar and pestle to avoid overheating the basil, which can turn the pesto bitter.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tbsp
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
Keywords: pesto, basil, Genovese, Italian, sauce