Pasta with Pesto Genovese
Fresh basil pesto from the mortar with pine nuts and Parmesan, the scent of Liguria.
- Preparation
- 15 min
- Cook/bake time
- 12 min
- Total
- 27 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 857 kcal
- Servings
- 4
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cooking & baking
- 12 min
A good Pesto alla Genovese needs no cooking time, just the best ingredients: young basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, Pecorino and fruity olive oil. Classically pounded in a mortar, the aroma remains fresh and bright green. With a little pasta water it becomes creamy and coats every noodle. Traditionally served with Trofie or Linguine.
Why this works
Basil contains polyphenol oxidase, the same enzyme that makes apple slices turn brown. It works as soon as cells are damaged and is accelerated by heat. A blender heats the leaves through friction, but the mortar does not. That is why pounded pesto remains bright green, while blended pesto darkens. The oil layer on top is not a decoration, but keeps the oxygen away.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Toast the pine nuts
Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat until golden brown and let them cool. Toasting noticeably deepens their nutty aroma.
- 2
Pound the pesto
Grind the basil with a little coarse salt and the garlic in a mortar and add the pine nuts. Work in the cheese and finally stir in the olive oil gradually until a creamy paste forms. Alternatively, you can do it briefly in a blender, but do not let it overheat.
- 3
Cook the pasta
Cook the linguine al dente and save a cup of pasta water before draining.
- 4
Combine
Do not heat the pesto under any circumstances. Mix the hot, drained pasta in a bowl with the pesto and a few spoonfuls of pasta water until everything is creamy and evenly coated.
- 5
Serve
Serve immediately with extra Parmesan. It becomes truly Ligurian if you cook small potato cubes and green beans right along with the pasta.
Our best tips
- Never cook pesto, the heat makes it dark and bitter. Only mix it with the warm pasta.
- Process basil leaves dry and do not chop them beforehand, otherwise they will oxidize and turn dark.
- A little pasta water turns a stiff paste into a creamy sauce that spreads beautifully.
Tasty variations
Completely Ligurian
Cook potato cubes and green beans with the pasta in the last few minutes, the traditional original.
With walnuts
Partially replace pine nuts with walnuts, cheaper and slightly more tart.
Nutrition facts
| Calories | 857 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 25 g |
| Carbohydrates | 96 g |
| – of which sugar | 4 g |
| Fat | 42 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
Where the 857 kcal come from
per serving
Calculated from the ingredients – how we do it
We add up reference values for every ingredient and divide by the number of servings. These assumptions are baked in:
- Reference values per 100 g – for the raw ingredient, exactly as listed.
- Tinned goods count at drained weight, bone-in meat at purchase weight: you eat about 70 per cent of a chicken thigh and leave the rest.
- Water evaporates as you cook. The energy stays in the pot, the weight does not – so the figure is per serving, not per 100 g of finished dish.
- Anything listed without a quantity – “salt and pepper” – is not counted.
A guide value, not a lab measurement: no two onions weigh the same, and fat content varies from pack to pack.
Frequently asked questions
Mortar or blender?
The mortar gives the best, freshest aroma because it grinds the leaves instead of cutting them. The blender is faster, so work in short pulses and do not let it overheat so the pesto stays green.
Why does my pesto turn dark?
Basil oxidizes in air and heat. Process it dry, do not cook it and store the finished pesto covered with a thin layer of oil, then it will stay bright green.
How long does homemade pesto last?
Covered with oil in a jar in the fridge for about a week. It can also be frozen in portions, then stir in the cheese only after thawing.
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