Although the cuisine of Liguria is varied, few people outside of Italy have ever heard of any Ligurian dishes other than pesto. But, the pesto so frequently found in the US is an oily, garlic laden mess that seeps into your pores so that everyone knows for days afterward that you had pesto for dinner. This is not the pesto of Liguria.
basilico genovese under plastic to protect from the cold
There are as many recipes for pesto as there are Ligurians, but the essential ingredient, the thing that makes it pesto, is basilico genovese. Unlike the large leaf sweet basil so commonly found in the US, basilico genovese is a small, incredibly fragrant and sweet leaf about the size of a quarter. Crushed in a mortar with the delicate olive oil of Liguria, parmegiano reggiano or pecorino, pine nuts and a bit of garlic, the end result is a sauce fit for the gods.
The most famous pesto comes from Pra', a quartiere of the city of Genoa. It is also where the best basilico genovese is grown, which may account for the quality of the pesto. Directly from garden to mortar to plate.
fresh trofie
In the US, pesto is often served by itself with trenette, or another long slender pasta shape. But here in Genoa, it is also served with trofie. Short twists of pasta, usually made from semolina flour and water, but sometimes from chestnut flour or with spinach. Add cooked potatoes, green beans and the wonderful pesto of Pra', you have a dish of great delicacy and sublety.
fresh chestnut flour trofie
I want some!
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