PESTO SAUCE RECIPE - BASIL, PINE NUTS, OLIVE OIL

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PESTO

PESTO SAUCE WITH BASIL AND PINE NUTS - CLASSIC

Trenette al pesto
Liguria
Preparation - Medium
Serves 4

SEE ALSO OUR EASY PESTO SAUCE

In Italy, pesto is freshly made at the height of the season when local basil is at its flavor peak. It is a rare treat, one that Italian cooks handle with joy and respect.

Italians are discreet with pesto, reckoning that a little of this rich and highly flavored sauce goes a very long way. A big spoonful of pesto may be stirred into a hearty minestrone of summer vegetables (just as it is in the very similar Nicoise pistou). I'm also fond of a small (1 teaspoon, no more) dollop of freshly made pesto to top a grilled or poached fish. In all cases, the accent is on fresh. Otherwise pesto is almost always used only in this classic Genovese dish of slender trenette noodles mixed with a few slices of small new potatoes. The sweetness of the potatoes accents the robust flavor of the sauce, and the contrasting textures of pasta and potatoes add further interest. Traditionally, as the name implies, pesto is made with mortar and pestle, and many cooks believe that is still the best way to extract the fullest flavor from basil and garlic. It takes time, however, so the following recipe uses a blender or food processor. But someday when you have a little extra time, try making pesto the old-fashioned way, focusing on the materials at hand and the aromas that rise from the mortar. You'll be amazed at where your thoughts might lead.

3 cups packed tender young basil leaves
3 heaped T pine nuts
1 1/2 t coarse salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil or more to taste
3 fat garlic cloves, crushed with the flat blade of a knife and very finely minced
1/2 cup freshly grated cheese, preferably a mixture of Parmigiano and an aged Tuscan pecorino or pecorino sardo; otherwise, use all Parmigiano.
salt to taste
6 quarts water
3 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced not more than 1/4 inch thick
1 lb trenette, linguine, tagliatelle, or other long flat thin pasta

PUT the basil, pine nuts, and salt in a food processor or blender and process steadily while you add the oil in a thin but constant stream. The sauce should achieve the consistency of a slightly grainy paste but not a fine puree.

ADD the garlic and process very briefly, just to mix.

WHEN the sauce is the right consistency, transfer it to a bowl and, using a spatula, fold in the grated cheese. (If you're using a mortar, just continue to work in the cheese with the pestle.)

IF the sauce is too thick, work in more olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

PESTO can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for a few days or in the freezer for a few weeks. If you plan to store it, leave the cheese out. Transfer the pesto to a refrigerator container, pour a thin film of oil over the top, cover, and store. When you're ready to use it, let the pesto thaw if necessary, then stir in the oil on top and the grated cheese.

BRING the lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Drop in the potato slices and boil for 5 minutes, then drop in the pasta. Stir with a wooden spoon, cover the pot, and bring back to a boil. Uncover and boil the pasta and potatoes together for 10 to 12 minutes or until the potatoes are thoroughly cooked and the pasta is done to taste.

WHILE the pasta is cooking, stir a couple of tablespoons of hot pasta water into the pesto and rinse a big pasta bowl with boiling water to warm it.

AS soon as the pasta is done, drain it, turn it into the warmed bowl, and pour the pesto over it. Toss gently to mix the pesto and serve immediately, passing more cheese if desired.

Nutritional Data, per portion
Calories    595  Carbohydrate  78g   Saturated Fat        5g
Protein     17g  Sodium        791mg Monounsaturated Fat  17g
Fat         26g  Cholesterol   6mg

Source:
The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook
Nancy Harmon Jenkins
Bantam Books

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