Pesto alla Genovese
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Good-quality cheese is essential for rich, full-flavored pesto. Seek out true Italian Parmesan, as well as pecorino Sardo, a sheep's milk cheese from Sardinia. If you can't find pecorino Sardo, don't use pecorino romano, which is too strong; instead, opt for Manchego, a Spanish sheep's milk cheese. Roughly chopping the basil by hand before adding it to the food processor minimizes the mechanical action needed to break down the leaves so the pesto won't become too smooth. To store pesto, press a piece of plastic wrap against its surface and refrigerate up to 3 days.
Ingredients
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1¾
ounces Parmesan cheese (without rind), chopped into rough 1-inch pieces
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1
ounce pecorino Sardo cheese (without rind), chopped into rough 1-inch pieces
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¼
cup pine nuts
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2
medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
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Kosher salt
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⅓
-
2½
ounces (about 5 cups lightly packed) fresh basil leaves
Directions
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01In a food processor, process both cheeses until broken into rough marble-sized pieces, about 10 seconds, then pulse until they have the texture of coarse sand, 5 to 10 pulses, scraping the bowl as needed. Transfer to a small bowl.
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02In the food processor, combine the pine nuts, garlic and ¾ teaspoon salt. Process until a smooth, peanut butter–like paste forms, about 1 minute, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the cheeses and about ½ of the oil and process until mostly smooth, 10 to 20 seconds, scraping the bowl as needed; the mixture should hold together when pressed against the bowl with a rubber spatula.
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03Using a chef's knife, roughly chop the basil, then add to the food processor. Pulse about 10 times, scraping the bowl several times, until the basil is finely chopped and well combined with the cheese mixture. Add the remaining oil and pulse just until incorporated, about 2 pulses. The pesto should be thick, creamy and spreadable.
In the store
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