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Genovese-style pesto, a basil and pine nut sauce

Pesto alla genovese, basil and pine nut sauce

Sauces

Genoese pesto: basil, garlic, and pine nuts ground together in a mortar, then emulsified with olive oil, and finally mixed with Parmesan and Pecorino chee…

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Recipe from Libertad y Saber, Billinghurst, Renamed user f26394dcb19bd7bdad78f0d752896653 and 3 other contributors, adapted by Recette de cuisine · · updated on

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Pesto is the typical sauce used in sponge cake recipes. The traditional method, using a marble or wooden mortar and pestle, takes longer than using a blender, but it produces the best texture.

Ingredients and directions

  • Prep time15 min
  • Cook time—
  • Total15 min
  • DifficultyEasy
  • CostBudget
  • Cooking methodno cooking required
  • Estimated cost$6.49 $1.62 / serving Estimated price; varies by store. Converted from euros at the ECB rate of October 15, 2026.
  • Vegetarian
  • Gluten-free

Ingredients

4 people
  • $1.62
  • $0.97
  • $0.22
  • $1.41
  • $0.60
  • $1.40
  • $0.27

Prices from US supermarkets for 4 of 7 ingredients; Belgian prices for the rest.

Directions

  1. Wash the basil and grind it in a mortar with the peeled garlic and pine nuts until you have a smooth paste. ≈ 4 min
  2. Add 60 ml of oil and continue mixing until the dough becomes smooth and creamy. ≈ 3 min
  3. Pour a perfect emulsion, pour the remaining oil in a thin stream while continuously stirring. ≈ 4 min
  4. Add the Parmesan and Pecorino cheese, and season with salt and pepper. ≈ 4 min
  5. If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with a little of the pasta cooking water. ≈ 3 min

The bill

Pesto alla genovese, basil and pine nut sauce

  • 40 g of basil (approximately 2 cups of leaves)$1.62
  • 30 g of pine nuts$0.97
  • 2 to 3 cloves of garlic$0.22
  • 120 ml of extra virgin olive oil, plus a little extra to cover$1.41
  • 50 g of freshly grated Parmesan cheese$0.60
  • 50 g of freshly grated Pecorino Romano (or well-aged sheep’s milk cheese)$1.40
  • salt, pepper$0.27

Total$6.49

that's $1.62 per person

Estimated price; varies by store.

Equipment

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Before you start

Ingredients

  • 40 g of basil (approximately 2 cups of leaves)
  • 30 g of pine nuts
  • 2 to 3 cloves of garlic
  • 120 ml of extra virgin olive oil, plus a little extra to cover
  • 50 g of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 50 g of freshly grated Pecorino Romano (or well-aged sheep’s milk cheese)
  • salt, pepper

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