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The Tiny Italian

Pasta, Gnocchi & Polenta / Recipes / Vegetarian

3 easy home-made pestos

As my fork twirls, a bright green speckled sauce silkily coats the long flat strands of my pasta. 

Sat in a quaint trattoria in central Genoa in the Italian region, Liguria, I enjoyed some of the best cooking the city has to offer. 

Located in the north-west of the country, it borders with France and its Mediterranean coastline is better known as the Italian riviera. However, when it comes to culinary successes, it’s home to a well-known Italian pasta sauce – Pesto Alla Genovese; or commonly known as, Basil Pesto. 

Interestingly, the word pesto stems from the Italian verb pestare, which means “to pound” or “to crush”, and that’s exactly how its ingredients are prepared.

Originally made in the summer months, sweet, aromatic basil leaves, were sealed with olive oil, to last till winter.

However, over time, the addition of other local Ligurian produce has led to the well-known delicate flavour enjoyed today. 

Traditionally assembled in a pestle and mortar, garlic and pine nuts are first pounded together which helps release natural oils. Next, basil leaves are added with coarse salt and grounded into a creamy texture. Only then a salty Italian cheese such as Parmesan or Pecorino Sardo is added. Finally, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil helps produce its creamy, silky consistency. 

While purists choose this classic method, nowadays the food processor helps whip this up in only a few minutes. 

With no need to heat up, pesto is usually used to dress cooked pasta, potato gnocchi or even a spoonful can be added to a bowl of minestrone. 

Apart from basil pesto from Liguria, there are other delicious pestos that I love to make. One is a red pesto from Sicily, Pesto Alla Trapenese, a pesto made from cherry tomatoes and almonds. Another nutty sauce is another sauce I enjoyed in Liguria – walnuts and herbs.

All three extremely delicious, and unique in flavour with their combinations of ingredients.

Below, I have shared all 3 easy home-made pesto recipes for you guys to make. So, before you go to grab that ready-made pesto jar when you’re next shopping. why not recreate a little fresh pesto yourself and take your pasta game to the next level.

Note: Pesto freezes perfectly too. (just leave the cheese out) and add when de-frosted.

Pesto alla genovese – basil pesto

Basil pesto from Liguria, uses fresh basil leaves, Italian salty cheese, pine nuts and extra virgin olive oil.

The best pasta-pesto combination is trenette or linguine (long thin flat ribbons) or trofie (short, thin, twisted pasta)

PrintPrint

Pesto alla genovese (2 portions)

  • 25g Basil leaves, removed from stalk

  • 1 tbsp pine nuts

  • 1 garlic clove, peeled

  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

  • 3 tbsp parmesan

  • 100ml extra virgin olive oil

PrintPrint

pesto alla genovese (2 portions)

  • Toast your pine nuts in a frying pan until they are slightly browned
  • Add the pine nuts, basil and garlic into the food processor. Now you pulse it in the food processor carefully and for not too long otherwise the basil will become bitter. Pulse into its all roughly chopped up.
  • Now add the parmesan. Give it another pulse
  • Now pour in your olive oil carefully while you pulse it again carefully.
  • Pour into a bowl and season with salt.

Pesto Alla Trapanese – cherry tomatoes & almonds.

Another pesto that has a long-ingrained history is the Sicilian pesto – alla Trapanese – from Trapani a town on the western coast of Sicily.

Pesto with almonds and cherry tomatoes.

PrintPrint

Pesto alla Trapanese (2 portions)

  • 12 Basil leaves

  • 12 Cherry tomatoes

  • 1 garlic clove, peeled

  • 2 tbsp pecorino romano, caccio ricotta or parmesan

  • 25g flaked almonds

  • 50ml extra virgin olive oil

  • Sea salt

  • Black pepper

PrintPrint

Directions

  • Lightly toast your flake almonds in a frying pan until they slightly go brown.
  • Halve and deseed your cherry tomatoes. Roughly chop them up.
  • Add the almonds to the food processor. Blitz until roughly chopped.
  • Add the chopped tomatoes, garlic and basil leaves. Blitz again in the food processor.
  • Pour in the olive oil while you finish blitzing in the food processor.
  • Pour the sauce into a bowl. Finish by adding the pecorino romano and mix well into the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.

Pesto di noci – Walnut herb sauce

Sauce from Liguria: many herbs, especially basil are used together with walnuts to make a lovely sauce.

PrintPrint

Pesto di noci – Walnut herb sauce (2 portions)

  • 50g shelled walnuts

  • Dry sage, rosemary and oregano

  • 6 Basil leaves

  • 1 garlic clove, peeled

  • 2 tbsp pecorino romano, caccio ricotta or parmesan

  • 60 ml Extra virgin olive oil

  • Sea salt

  • Black pepper

PrintPrint

PESTO DI NOCI – WALNUT HERB SAUCE (2 PORTIONS)

  • Add walnuts into the food processor. Blitz into a food processor until roughly chopped.
  • A pinch each of sage, rosemary and oregano. Plus the garlic and basil leaves. Blitz again
  • Pour in the olive oil, while blitzing again.
  • Pour into a bowl. Add and mix the pecorino cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
TAGS:pasta saucespesto sauces
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The Tiny Italian

Ciao, I’m Paola I’m Paola (The Tiny Italian). I'm an Italian food expert cook and teacher. I teach people to not only cook but teach them how to LOVE TO COOK. I help change peoples mindset by showing them that cooking is not only for 'FOODIES' and sharing the fun, stress-free side with recipes, tips and cooking experiences.

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The Comments

  • Nancy
    6th August 2020

    i loved your PESTO ALLA GENOVESE

    Reply

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Ciao, I’m Paola
Ciao, I’m Paola

Ciao, I’m Paola

I’m Paola (The Tiny Italian). I'm an Italian food expert, cook and teacher. Cooking doesn't come easy to everyone. However, I help you LEARN to LOVE to cook and eat better with EASY SEXY HEALTHY Italian RECIPES. Plus TIPS and HACKS to build your kitchen CONFIDENCE. Come cook with me at one of my fun stress free cooking classes or courses. It’s all about helping others BELIEVE IN THEIR OWN SAUCE!

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This is your invitation to come join the best online self care cooking community on the planet. SAUCY SOCIETY It’s a space for you to intentionally take part in fun delicious mindful self care cooking. It’s a space to help rediscover your cooking mojo and transform your cooking relationship. When you are busy it’s hard to find time for yourself. However when you change your mindset about something you do everyday I.e. cooking, you can turn what feels like a chore into the self care you need to reward yourself after a hectic day. For more info head to my website (link under my bio) or drop me a DM on here or email me paola@thetinyitalian.com #cookinglife #cookingday #selfcareeveryday #selfcareaccount #cookwithlove #eatbetterfeelbetter #onlinecookingclass #cookingcommunity
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Sharing your food around the table with your loved ones is one of cooking greatest gifts.
So by eliminating cooking with love you’re also eliminating those connections.
The last few years has taught many of us what really is important and no matter how busy life gets it’s important to not take for granted those around us and spend time where we can… cos life is sometimes a little bit too short to spend time worrying about the sh*t that really doesn’t matter in life.
Love should always come first.
Paola ❤️
#eatatthetable #eatingathome #cookingathomeisfun #homecookingisthebest #cookwithlove #sharingfood #makingconnections
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Sharing your food around the table with your loved ones is one of cooking greatest gifts. So by eliminating cooking with love you’re also eliminating those connections. The last few years has taught many of us what really is important and no matter how busy life gets it’s important to not take for granted those around us and spend time where we can… cos life is sometimes a little bit too short to spend time worrying about the sh*t that really doesn’t matter in life. Love should always come first. Paola ❤️ #eatatthetable #eatingathome #cookingathomeisfun #homecookingisthebest #cookwithlove #sharingfood #makingconnections
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This is your invitation to come join the best online self care cooking community on the planet.
SAUCY SOCIETY
It’s a space for you to intentionally take part in fun delicious mindful self care cooking. It’s a space to help rediscover your cooking mojo and transform your cooking relationship. When you are busy it’s hard to find time for yourself. However when you change your mindset about something you do everyday I.e. cooking, you can turn what feels like a chore into the self care you need to reward yourself after a hectic day. 
For more info head to my website (link under my bio) or drop me a DM on here or email me paola@thetinyitalian.com
#cookinglife #cookingday #selfcareeveryday #selfcareaccount #cookwithlove #eatbetterfeelbetter #onlinecookingclass #cookingcommunity
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This is your invitation to come join the best online self care cooking community on the planet. SAUCY SOCIETY It’s a space for you to intentionally take part in fun delicious mindful self care cooking. It’s a space to help rediscover your cooking mojo and transform your cooking relationship. When you are busy it’s hard to find time for yourself. However when you change your mindset about something you do everyday I.e. cooking, you can turn what feels like a chore into the self care you need to reward yourself after a hectic day. For more info head to my website (link under my bio) or drop me a DM on here or email me paola@thetinyitalian.com #cookinglife #cookingday #selfcareeveryday #selfcareaccount #cookwithlove #eatbetterfeelbetter #onlinecookingclass #cookingcommunity
2 days ago
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Sharing your food around the table with your loved ones is one of cooking greatest gifts.
So by eliminating cooking with love you’re also eliminating those connections.
The last few years has taught many of us what really is important and no matter how busy life gets it’s important to not take for granted those around us and spend time where we can… cos life is sometimes a little bit too short to spend time worrying about the sh*t that really doesn’t matter in life.
Love should always come first.
Paola ❤️
#eatatthetable #eatingathome #cookingathomeisfun #homecookingisthebest #cookwithlove #sharingfood #makingconnections
thetinyitalian
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Follow
Sharing your food around the table with your loved ones is one of cooking greatest gifts. So by eliminating cooking with love you’re also eliminating those connections. The last few years has taught many of us what really is important and no matter how busy life gets it’s important to not take for granted those around us and spend time where we can… cos life is sometimes a little bit too short to spend time worrying about the sh*t that really doesn’t matter in life. Love should always come first. Paola ❤️ #eatatthetable #eatingathome #cookingathomeisfun #homecookingisthebest #cookwithlove #sharingfood #makingconnections
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SAVE THIS RECIPE WHEN YOU ARE IN NEED OF SEXY SELF CARE COOKING. 
This dish not only slaps in tonnes of flavour it’s the perfect delicious comforting reward after a busy day. 
It’s an easy and simple recipe to follow which is what we need after a busy day.  You need to try it if you enjoy these ingredients:
Peas
Spinach
Leeks
Pancetta
Gnocchi 
Lemon
Mascarpone (you can use any cream cheese)
Using @martini and @parmigianoreggianouk to make sure that this dish taste absolutely banging. And it really does. 
Plus my flat mates @microplaneintl made sure that I  only added the lemon zest and not the pith which can be bitter and affect the flavour of the dish. Everyone needs to get one. 
Anywhere enjoy guys. 
Follow for more self care cooking recipe ideas. 
#easyrecipesathome #gnocchirecipe #sweetpeas #spinachrecipes #martini #parmesanoreggiano #selfcaretip #wellnessgoals #cookwithlove #nostresscooking #easycookingathome #italiancooking #cookingcommunity #italianfoodblogger #cookingschool #onlinecookingclass #recipevideos
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SAVE THIS RECIPE WHEN YOU ARE IN NEED OF SEXY SELF CARE COOKING. This dish not only slaps in tonnes of flavour it’s the perfect delicious comforting reward after a busy day. It’s an easy and simple recipe to follow which is what we need after a busy day. You need to try it if you enjoy these ingredients: Peas Spinach Leeks Pancetta Gnocchi Lemon Mascarpone (you can use any cream cheese) Using @martini and @parmigianoreggianouk to make sure that this dish taste absolutely banging. And it really does. Plus my flat mates @microplaneintl made sure that I only added the lemon zest and not the pith which can be bitter and affect the flavour of the dish. Everyone needs to get one. Anywhere enjoy guys. Follow for more self care cooking recipe ideas. #easyrecipesathome #gnocchirecipe #sweetpeas #spinachrecipes #martini #parmesanoreggiano #selfcaretip #wellnessgoals #cookwithlove #nostresscooking #easycookingathome #italiancooking #cookingcommunity #italianfoodblogger #cookingschool #onlinecookingclass #recipevideos
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Cooking can calm your mind.
However for some cooking can be so stressful and l may actively avoid it as it feels too much to do after a long busy day.
However over the years I have practised fun mindful cooking. Yes I did say Fun. 😂💃🏻
It takes time but it’s all about changing your mindset and attitude when it comes to cooking. Plus there are some practises that can help to calm your mind down and reduce the stress cooking can cause you. 
Instead of feeling like a chore it can help you  relax after a long busy day. It can help you focus on something else and forget about everything you have had to deal with that day. Plus you get to reward yourself with a delicious meal cooked with love. It’s the best feeling after a crazy busy day.
Working on something fun and helpful for you, but if you currently find cooking difficult or stressful would you mind sharing in the comment lor Dm me what is the main thing that makes it difficult for you. And I’ll take that into consideration when putting my new project together.
We will get this nation with love and your input will help make that change. 
#selfcaretip #cookinglove #mindfulcooking #selfcarecooking #wellnesslifestyle #busymomlife #businessownerlife #eatbetterfeelbetter #cookwithlove #cookingteacher #selfcareeveryday #selfcarehacks #selflovematters #mindfulnessmatters
thetinyitalian
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Follow
Cooking can calm your mind. However for some cooking can be so stressful and l may actively avoid it as it feels too much to do after a long busy day. However over the years I have practised fun mindful cooking. Yes I did say Fun. 😂💃🏻 It takes time but it’s all about changing your mindset and attitude when it comes to cooking. Plus there are some practises that can help to calm your mind down and reduce the stress cooking can cause you. Instead of feeling like a chore it can help you relax after a long busy day. It can help you focus on something else and forget about everything you have had to deal with that day. Plus you get to reward yourself with a delicious meal cooked with love. It’s the best feeling after a crazy busy day. Working on something fun and helpful for you, but if you currently find cooking difficult or stressful would you mind sharing in the comment lor Dm me what is the main thing that makes it difficult for you. And I’ll take that into consideration when putting my new project together. We will get this nation with love and your input will help make that change. #selfcaretip #cookinglove #mindfulcooking #selfcarecooking #wellnesslifestyle #busymomlife #businessownerlife #eatbetterfeelbetter #cookwithlove #cookingteacher #selfcareeveryday #selfcarehacks #selflovematters #mindfulnessmatters
7 days ago
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LETS GET THE NATION COOKING WITH LOVE. 
My mission is to help this nation of busy people to slow down where possible. Help transform their cooking relationship so that they can embrace the joys of mindful  home cooking as an easy accessible fun source of self care.
From personal experience when you’re busy running your own business or your job is a priority for you it can be difficult to make time for yourself.  Whatever your body and mind needs.
Unfortunately that doesn’t get you anywhere good. You just get into a deeper hole of ‘I don’t have time’ or ‘that won’t make a difference really’ or ‘I can’t make time for myself’. Cooking food becomes harder. You start to resent it, stresses you out and bring bouts of overwhelm. 
I know because I was that person. On many occasions. When I worked in a corporate environment and when trying to build my own business. It’s easy to forget what’s more important and that’s your happiness, health and joy. 
There are so many waysto bring wellness into your life, but cooking is what really changed my life and I’m here to help you too if you want to easily translate your love of food at home. Lose your unhealthy emotions with cooking and instead create a positive fun relationship.
This post is filled with recipes to hopefully inspire you to want to cook a meal that makes you feel good this coming week. I know it can’t be easy every day but making a small step in the right direction makes all the difference to how you feel. 
Sign up to my free newsletter for more mindful self care cooking tips and inspo. Link in bio. 
Paola
#homecookingisthebest #cookwithlove #eatbetterfeelbetter #selfcarelove #mindfulcooking #wellnesstips
thetinyitalian
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•
Follow
LETS GET THE NATION COOKING WITH LOVE. My mission is to help this nation of busy people to slow down where possible. Help transform their cooking relationship so that they can embrace the joys of mindful home cooking as an easy accessible fun source of self care. From personal experience when you’re busy running your own business or your job is a priority for you it can be difficult to make time for yourself. Whatever your body and mind needs. Unfortunately that doesn’t get you anywhere good. You just get into a deeper hole of ‘I don’t have time’ or ‘that won’t make a difference really’ or ‘I can’t make time for myself’. Cooking food becomes harder. You start to resent it, stresses you out and bring bouts of overwhelm. I know because I was that person. On many occasions. When I worked in a corporate environment and when trying to build my own business. It’s easy to forget what’s more important and that’s your happiness, health and joy. There are so many waysto bring wellness into your life, but cooking is what really changed my life and I’m here to help you too if you want to easily translate your love of food at home. Lose your unhealthy emotions with cooking and instead create a positive fun relationship. This post is filled with recipes to hopefully inspire you to want to cook a meal that makes you feel good this coming week. I know it can’t be easy every day but making a small step in the right direction makes all the difference to how you feel. Sign up to my free newsletter for more mindful self care cooking tips and inspo. Link in bio. Paola #homecookingisthebest #cookwithlove #eatbetterfeelbetter #selfcarelove #mindfulcooking #wellnesstips
1 week ago
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5/5
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