Paolo's Italian Pesto
This is the exact pesto recipe that won the 2008 World Pesto Championships, and trust me, once you taste this bright, garlicky blend of fresh basil and Parmesan that makes everything it touches absolutely incredible, you'll never want to buy the jarred stuff again—plus it's way easier to make at home than you think.
Servings: 8 servings
Equipment
- food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 6 cups fresh basil leaves¹
- 1/3 cup pine nuts²
- 1/3 small garlic clove yes, it's a small amount
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil³
- 1 teaspoon sea salt or table salt⁴
- 1/3 cup freshly-grated Pecorino cheese⁵
- 1/3 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese⁶
Instructions
- Rinse basil and soak in water for 10-15 minutes⁷
- Blend base ingredients: Add pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil to food processor or blender⁸. Process until nuts are finely chopped and mixture is creamy. Then add the salt and process until mixed through.
- Add basil leaves (shake off excess water or squeeze gently) and pulse until smooth and bright green. Add water by the teaspoon if needed to help blending.
- Finish: Add both cheeses and pulse until just combined.
Notes
Footnotes for the Ultimate Version
In my humble opinion, the unique proportions in this recipe produce a basil-forward flavor and ideal texture that secured the championship. These notes detail the original traditional ingredients Paolo used.
¹ Basil: For authentic results, use young Genovese basil with small, bright green leaves. Avoid large, tough leaves from mature plants.
² Pine nuts: Italian or Portuguese pine nuts have a superior flavor to Chinese varieties. Available from specialty suppliers like Nuts.com or Gustiamo.
³ Olive oil: Traditional recipe calls for fruity, mild Ligurian olive oil. Any good extra-virgin will work, but avoid overly peppery varieties.
⁴ Salt: Use flaky sea salt like Maldon or fleur de sel for best texture and flavor.
⁵ Pecorino: Authentic Pecorino-Toscano is milder than common Pecorino-Romano. If using Romano, reduce the salt slightly.
⁶ Parmesan: Use genuine Parmigiano-Reggiano, not generic "parmesan" cheese.
⁷ Basil soaking: This technique adds weight to leaves and helps emulsification - the remaining water aids blending.
⁸ Equipment: For ultimate texture, use a chilled blender (freeze bowl or chill with ice water). This reduces oxidation and prevents bitterness.