Pesto

Originating in Genoa, pesto is an uncooked sauce of basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil and either parmesan or pecorino sardo cheese, with basil being the prominent flavour. Pesto is usually served as a pasta sauce, but it also works well with chicken and fish. Traditionally it is made using a mortar and pestle but can also be made in a food processor — turn the machine off and on as you make it so the blade does not heat up and spoil the basil leaves. Use a sweet rather than peppery olive oil such as a Ligurian olive oil, so that it doesn’t overpower the flavour.