Pesto Genovese with Mortar and Pestle

This recipe was made with a mortar and pestle, however, it can also be made with a food processor.

While a food processor cuts the ingredients but not necessarily rupturing all of their cells to release aromatic compounds, a mortar and pestle do a great job of actually crushing individual cells, which results in much better flavor.

3 - 4 servings

15 – 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 50 g fresh basil leaves
• 7 tbsp olive oil
• 30 g pecorino cheese 
• 80 g parmesan cheese
• 15 g pine nuts
• 2 garlic cloves
• A pinch of salt

Equipment

• Mortar and pestle

Instructions

1. Put the garlic cloves into the mortar and grind to a paste then add a hand full of basil leaves at a time and each time add a little bit of coarse salt.
2. When all the leaves have been crushed into a paste, add the pine nuts and crush them and mix together with the basil paste.
3. Alternate adding the cheese and olive oil.
4. Serve with pasta of your choice.