Italians Cook It Better 
Healty Choice 
Italian Classics 
Kid's Favourites 
Ready Steady 
- Preparation time
- 10
- Cooking time
- 12
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 17 oz 480 gr Linguine
- 4 cups 4 cups fresh Basil Leaves
- 2 cloves 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 cup 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 cup 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
- 1/2 cup 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 tablespoons 3 tablespoons Pine Nuts
- 1 pinch 1 pinch Salt
Preparation
In a blender or in a food processor, blend fresh basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts and extra virgin olive oil at medium speed for 1 minute. Add the Parmesan cheese and the Pecorino Romano cheese already grated. Blend 1-2 minute or until you reach a creamy consistency. Season with salt to taste.
Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan to the boil. Add some salt and let the pasta boil for 10-12 minutes following the instructions on the pack, until tender but still firm to the bite “al dente”. Pesto makes its best with linguine, gnocchi and trofie (the traditional pasta from Genova).
Drain the pasta and put it in a large skillet. Stir in the pesto, toss the pasta well and serve. Never heat pesto, or the cheese will paste and the color will turn dark.
Enjoy!
Notes
Pesto can be prepared in 10 minutes, beside basil has to be worked quickly, as it tends to darken and oxidize.
The original recipe says that all the ingredients have to be hand-ground in a marble mortar (pesto literary means “beaten”).
Living in a modern world at modern speed, I use a blender and I suggest you to do so. As the blender tends to moist ingredients too much, use the blender at medium power and do not blend the ingredients for long. To prevent oxidation of basil and the darkening of the cream, the secret is to put some ice cubes in the blender and let them moist with the rest of the ingredients.
You can prepare Pesto in large advance, and refrigerate it until you are ready to use it. When defrosting it do NOT heat it, otherwise the cheese will paste and the color will turn dark.
This Pasta and Pesto is one of the most delicious I have ever eaten. It is beautiful, fresh, and bright green.
Excellent and super delicious. My sons loved it. Easy to prepare.
Absolutely delicious. Wow!!!! what a great pasta salad! It made a ton… I used store bought pesto but it will for sure make again at home! I added a splash of fresh lemon juice at the end to add a bit of brightness.
It’s a total please on those nights where you just don’t want to make spagetti sauce from scratch and this is a quick fix.
Yes, It’s quick and pleasing… I can live of it
Merely a smiling visitant here to share the love (:, btw great design and style .
Thanks Gregorio, smiles to you too.
I’ve been searching for a good sauce for a long time and I think I finally found one. It has a medium thick consistency and held its own on spaghetti without running.
It is truly the BEST homemade pesto I have ever had!! Thanks again for such a great recipe!!!
This is REALLY good sauce!!
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Hallo, thanks for the support. Concerning your question.. I do not have any special suggestion. I usually multitask all day long, and need to stay concentrated in any situation, even in crowd places or messy conditions… I write on this blog usually after dinner, when the phone does not ring anymore, the kiddos are asleep.. and this is certainly helps. Moreover I really love this blog, as you do love your writings, I suppose. If you cannot get concentrated, the only suggestion I have is: read again something that you previously wrote and that you really are proud of. It will make you feel you can do it again…