Pesto Genovese

Pesto alla Genovese from Greenomic Delikatessen with basil

Pesto alla Genovese from Greenomic Delikatessen is the green classic made from basil, pine nuts, cashews, and aged Parmesan. Produced in Tuscany, it comes in a 135-gram jar that provides enough for two pasta nights and then goes into the refrigerator.

Pesto alla Genovese is the classic green herb paste that Greenomic Delikatessen has produced in Italy based on the Ligurian tradition. Inside the jar is a rich green, spreadable cream made of basil and sunflower oil, bound with cashew nuts and seasoned with garlic, Parmesan, and a little salt.

Deep green, nutty, and savory from the cheese

Upon opening the jar, you are greeted first by the herbaceous scent of basil, followed by the warm nuttiness of the nuts and the salty edge of the aged cheese. The color is a deep green, which only occurs with a high herb content. The salt comes from the cheese, not from a shaker.

On hot pasta, the paste immediately becomes creamy and coats every noodle evenly. The pine nuts bring their soft, resinous aroma, the cashews provide a velvety consistency, and the garlic stays a step behind the herbs. If you want to season further, reach for black pepper and grated cheese, but nothing else.

On trofie, spaghetti, and toasted bread

Take a generous tablespoon per person, add a splash of pasta water to the pan, and toss the drained pasta in until everything is glossy. You must not cook the mixture, otherwise the herbs will lose their color and turn bitter. One spoonful of cooking water makes the sauce supple; two make it thin.

Classically, the pesto belongs with trofie, the short, twisted noodles from Liguria, but a Fettuccine Classic from Good Hair Day works just as well. On toasted ciabatta, it becomes an antipasto; folded into warm potatoes, it makes a side dish; and a spoonful in minestrone turns the soup into a meal.

Potatoes and beans are cooked in Genoa

In Genoa, pasta rarely goes into the pot alone, because floury potato cubes and green beans cook in the same water. The starch from the potato later binds the pesto into a sauce that becomes creamy without cream, and the beans provide a crisp counterpoint. This way of serving is called "trenette avvantaggiate" there, meaning "pasta with an advantage."

The name comes from the port city of Genoa on the Ligurian coast, where the herbs grow on hillsides above the sea and remain particularly tender. Pine nuts come from the cones of the Mediterranean pine and are still extracted by hand today. Greenomic Delikatessen has the recipe prepared in Tuscany, using local raw materials and a consistency that is ready to go straight from the jar to the plate.

Store under oil after opening

Stir the pesto briefly before use, as the oil will settle on top. At room temperature, it is easier to fold in than straight from the cold. After each use, pour a little olive oil over it; this keeps the surface green and the rest will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.

The other varieties can be found in our Pesto selection, and the entire assortment from Greenomic Delikatessen is in our brand aisle along with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and pasta.