The rule of thumb for pesto is never use a plant with more than six leaves, or two tiers of foliage.” “Any time after that and the leaves gain a hard, licorice-like flavor. “Essential oils within the leaves are most pungent and fragrant within the first 50 days of the plant’s life,” he says. Bruzzone, who grows basil year-round in greenhouses built into steep mountain terraces just 20 yards from sea bluffs in Prà, also makes pesto and claims to know the secret to the best sauce: young leaves. According to basil grower Stefano Bruzzone, this is due to the region’s strong sunshine, sea breezes and dense soils-conditions so perfect that local authorities have taken steps to transform it into a national basil park. The area of Prà, slightly east of Genoa’s port, is particularly well suited to basil cultivation.
Genoa claims pesto as its own because of its unique microclimate and basil terroir. Sicilians have devised their own pesto made from pistachios. In California and Spain, cilantro or parsley leaves sometimes replace basil, and other versions call for almonds or walnuts instead of pine nuts. Today, chefs around the world have made adjustments to the classic recipe by incorporating local ingredients. But pesto’s fragrant flavor and versatility has also made it a popular condiment used on pizza, in sandwiches, in soups or with meat. It is closely associated with Genoa and served as a pasta sauce in households and in restaurants throughout the Ligurian coast. Classic pesto consists of basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil and grated Parmigiano cheese. But in Genoa, basil is a dish unto its own and the main inspiration for la cucina profumata, (fragrant food) as Genovese cooking is known in Italy. In most parts of Italy, basil leaves are used simply as a garnish to other ingredients. Thank You! We've received your email address, and soon you will start getting exclusive offers and news from Wine Enthusiast. Basil (a proven stimulant), and hence pesto, has long been considered an aphrodisiac food in Italy-and the obvious symbolism of the mortar and pestle doesn’t dull that reputation one bit. Instead, grind them against the side of the mortar with determined, rotary movements and ample use of your wrist. Do not hammer the ingredients with an up-and-down motion. Place the ingredients into a large marble mortar and mash, using a hardwood pestle. Another trick for obtaining a vibrant green color is making sure the basil is not moist. With a mortar and pestle, the leaves are mashed and their fibers disintegrate, releasing enzymes that coagulate and form the “glue” that integrates the pines nuts and makes a pesto paste. A blender simply chops the basil into tiny fragments that quickly oxidize and turn an unappetizing (but still edible) black color. True pesto is made exclusively with a mortar and pestle the use of an electric blender is frowned upon. The word pesto comes the verb pestare, for “to crush” or “pound.” Our English word “pestle” is derived from the same linguistic root. If you believe the legend, you now know how pesto was born. This practice evolved-again, according to local lore-to the point that sailors began to grind basil leaves into a tasty green sauce and travel with it because of its long shelf life. In return, wives and lovers back home would place basil plants on their windowsills until their partners returned home safely from their voyages.
Host to a cacophony of cultures-African, Arab and European, among others-Genoa has, throughout its history, produced generations of seafaring explorers and adventurers, including Christopher Columbus.Īccording to a legend dating back centuries, Genoa’s sailors would borrow a tiny token of their beloved city to keep them company during long, lonely months at sea: a fragrant pot of basil, which they would store in their cabins. And like other messy melting pot Mediterranean ports, including Naples and Marseilles, La Superba is a city in perpetual dialogue with the sea that faces it. Tightly sandwiched between coast and mountains, it is a giant balcony with panoramic views of the brilliant blue Ligurian Sea. Northern Italy’s port city of Genoa is 20 miles long and less than two miles wide.
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