Fettuccine al Pesto Genovese
By: Giangi Townsend
Published: Friday, June 19, 2020 - 4:32pm

Ingredients




2 bunches fresh basil, leaves removed from the stems and washed
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 walnut
½ of a garlic clove
4 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound fettuccine pasta
1 potato cut in slices (optional)
grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Preparation

1 Put water in a pan and bring it to a boil. When boiling add the basil leaves and blanch for less than a minute. Drain. In a blender or food processor, place the basil, pine nuts, walnut, garlic, Parmiggiano, and olive oil. Blend on high. When all the ingredients are well blended, add the heavy cream, and give it a quick pulse. 2 If using the potato, place the cut potato in a large pan of salted water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente. Drain the pasta and reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water. 3 In a serving dish place the butter, the pesto, and add the cooked pasta. Add some of the water as you mix. The pesto should be of a nice light green color and the pasta should be moist. Generously grate Parmigiano cheese over the pasta.

About

Fettuccine al Pesto. A Genovese tradition.
Genova the land of pesto and it’s origins can be traced all the way back around the 16th century.  Pesto comes from the Italian “pestare” which means “to pound”. Originally it was made in a marble mortar with a pestle. Although the pesto has become common as to identify anything that is made by pounding, the Pesto all Genovese is and always will be, the original.
Growing up I remember listening to my grandmother talking to her friends and my aunts about pesto.  It felt as every woman was competing for the ultimate pesto.  I have to say, I have enjoyed the benefits of that wonderful competition.