When done right, pesto Genovese is one of life’s simple pleasures. It’s a tradition in Liguria that can trace its roots back to ancient Rome, but one taste and you’ll understand why Roberto Panizza's pesto towers above the rest. Perfectly balanced, with a lovely green color, this pesto is made from the highest quality local ingredients, full of rich Mediterranean flavor. ...read more
Pair it with your favorite pasta shape - we like trenette, but spaghetti, trofie, or potato gnocchi also work well - cooked in the same water with a few green beans and potatoes for a traditional Genovese preparation. A dollop of this pesto adds savory zest to a cold green bean salad. Spoon a little over fresh sliced tomatoes or warm bread for a delicious aperitivo.
Keep this pesto in the refrigerator, and allow it to come to room temperature when you’re ready to use; Pesto Genovese is perfect as it is, and never needs to be cooked!
Pesto Genovese may be simple, but that’s why the quality of the ingredients make all the difference - and Roberto Panizza of Pesto Rossi is fanatical about his ingredients. He says that young basil - with leaves no bigger than a fingernail - has the freshest taste, so he only uses DOP Ligurian basil that is no more than a few weeks old. He sources his Slow Food-protected garlic from the Ligurian village of Vessalico; this rare variety of garlic is renowned for its delicate, mildly spicy flavor and high digestibility. He adds Parmigiano-Reggiano aged 24 months and Fiore Sardo pecorino aged 12 months, Italian pine nuts, real extra virgin olive oil, and Sicilian sea salt from Trapani - each ingredient carefully proportioned to perfectly balance the other flavors. Why does this product contain a small amount of ascorbic acid? Read more here.
"...[I love] Pesto Rossi's 'alla Genovese' with seared white fish (cod or bass to turbot or brill - let the purse decide), steamed new potatoes, poached farm chicken breast... mozzarella / tomato salads, soft boiled eggs, bacalau, etc... this pesto is for life. Should be consumed daily."
— Gareth Jones
"...[I love] Pesto Rossi's 'alla Genovese' with seared white fish (cod or bass to turbot or brill - let the purse decide), steamed new potatoes, poached farm chicken breast... mozzarella / tomato salads, soft boiled eggs, bacalau, etc... this pesto is for life. Should be consumed daily."
— Gareth Jones
