Pesto Alla Genovese

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic – peeled
• 0.5 tsp coarse sea salt
• 3 tbsp pine nuts
• 2 cups basil leaves – leaves only, lightly packed
• 0.5 cups Parmigiano Reggiano cheese – finely grated
• 0.25 cups Pecorino Sardo cheese – finely grated
• 0.5 cups extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. If possible, chill a marble mortar and wooden pestle for 10 minutes. Finely grate the cheeses and set aside.
2. In the mortar, pound the garlic with the coarse sea salt to a smooth paste, 2–3 minutes.
3. Add the pine nuts and grind until creamy with no large pieces remaining, 1–2 minutes.
4. Add the basil leaves (washed and thoroughly dried) in 2–3 additions, crushing with a circular motion until a thick, bright-green paste forms, 3–5 minutes.
5. Add the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and the Pecorino Sardo cheese; work them in until fully incorporated, 1–2 minutes.
6. Drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil a little at a time, stirring until the sauce is glossy and spoonable; it should hold its shape on a spoon without oil pooling.
7. Taste and adjust if needed. Use right away, or transfer to an airtight container, pressing plastic wrap directly against the surface to limit oxidation. Refrigerate up to 2 days; return to room temperature before using.