Pesto Genovese di CIBO

Classic Basil Pesto from Genova

Ingredients:
100g sweet basil, washed and dried well
20g coarse sea salt
60g pine nuts, toasted
4 cloves garlic
120g parmigiano, freshly grated
250ml or 1/2c virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
butter

Procedure:
For a quick pesto, put all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor and blend until coarse, adding olive oil little by little.
For a more authentic pesto, pound basil, garlic, pine nuts and sea salt in a mortar and pestle.
When leaves and other ingredients are almost down to a paste, add olive oil little by little and blend.
Add parmigiano and mix well and blend. The pesto should become coarse and bright green.
Season with more salt and fresh pepper to taste.
Top off with some butter.