ItaliandinnerVegetarianPescatarianGluten-freeNo added sugar

Pesto I

Name: Pesto I
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 14 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 4 oz (100 g) fresh basil; About 8 oz (200 g) extra virgin olive oil; ⅓ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese or a 1:1 mixture.; ¼ cup pine nuts or nut of choice (optional); 4 cloves garlic; Freshly ground salt and pepper (to taste)

Pesto is a sauce that originates in the city of Genoa in the Liguria region of northern Italy (pesto alla genovese). It can be used as a sauce for pasta or meat, or can be used as an ingredient in a variety of dishes. One classic use is to spread the pesto onto slices of bread before toasting. The word "pesto" derives from the Italian for pestle, pestello. This recipe substitutes Romano cheese for the usual Parmesan.

From Wikibooks CookbookNo reviews yet· 0 comments45 minMedium0 made it

Ingredients

Makes

4 oz (100 g) fresh basil
About 8 oz (200 g) extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese or a 1:1 mixture.
¼ cup pine nuts or nut of choice (optional)
4 cloves garlic
Freshly ground salt and pepper (to taste)

Ingredients for 14 servings (420 g) · the original recipe

Method

1
Preheat the oven to 425 °F (220 °C).
Oven
2
If using, toast the pine nuts in an ovenproof pan for 10–15 minutes, checking every 5 minutes to prevent excessive browning or burning.
3
In a small frying pan (skillet), heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil on medium heat.
Stovetop
4
Crush the garlic and sauté in the oil until soft, about 2–3 minutes.
5
Combine the basil, garlic, cheese, pine nuts and oil in a mortar and pestle until it forms a smooth paste, or use a food processor or blender and chop finely, slowly adding the oil to reach the paste-like consistency.
BlenderFood processor

Recipe from Wikibooks Cookbook, written by Wikibooks contributors. Used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; the ingredient list and method on this page are taken from that page and edited (its notes, tips and variations are not reproduced), and are available under the same licence. The macros, equipment tags and scaling are Ma Kitchen’s own and are not the source’s figures. Ma Kitchen is not affiliated with or endorsed by Wikibooks Cookbook. Copied on 2026-11-12.