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Pesto in Italy and Pesto in the rest of the world; is just not the same. So what makes authentic Italian pesto, unlike any pesto you’ve ever tasted? Is it as simple as doing it by hand, or are there certain techniques that guarantee a successful pesto or flop? The following will give some general advice on how to make the perfect pesto from scratch.

Pesto originated from the region of Liguria. It is named for the preparation method – pestatura – grinding the leaves and other ingredients in a traditional marble mortar (murta) using a wooden pestle (pestellu). This gives us a hint of the real key to perfect pesto – that is, manual grinding using a mortar and pestle. Most of the pesto you will come across will have been mixed in the machine. This causes the ingredients to homogenize into a paste with little or no definition between them. By cutting the ingredients by hand, you allow a definition between them so that when you taste the final product of the dressed dish, individual flavors appear in your mouth in a unique way for a unique taste.

Ideally, when you chop the ingredients, you should chop some of the ingredients, then add and chop more. Continue until all the ingredients have been added and chopped. This allows for different sizes of ingredients cut throughout the pesto, which adds to its texture and character.

Make sure to use a sharp knife when cutting the basil for your pesto. If your knife is dull, the basil will take on a dark shade. It can take twenty to thirty minutes to chop all the ingredients for pesto, so a sharp mezzaluna (preferably with a single large blade) is the perfect knife to use. The ingredients are often stuck in double-blade knives, so their use can become frustrating. A half-moon shaped pizza cutter can also work a treat as well.

Genovese pesto is made from small leaves of young basil – a distinction that made it famous. It is possible to find them in stores, but if you grow your own basil, this will give you the flexibility of choosing basil leaves, which can make all the difference for your pesto.

Seasoning is very important with your pesto. It is perfectly okay not to add salt to the pesto, but if you are serving it on pasta, be sure to salt the water well for your pasta. Otherwise, the overall flavor will be lost. You may need to adjust your seasoning slightly before serving.

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