Be pesto-perfect in the kitchen

I thought basil, cheese, garlic and pine nuts are non-negotiable in pesto but the nice man at Gastronomica in Borough Market set me straight. "Every pesto is personal. As long as it has basil, cheese and olive oil, it is pesto."

Garlic omitted

This is confirmed by The Silver Spoon, which omits garlic, calling for 25 basil leaves to be whizzed in a food processor with 100ml olive oil, 40g pine nuts and salt, and then combined with 25g grated Parmesan and 25g grated pecorino. The basil quota is slightly measly but it has a nutty flavour.

Cheese

Once upon a time, it was only Parmesan. But now, pecorino is also used. It is also less salty. I try out a Parmesan and a pecorino version, with 2 garlic cloves, 2 tbs toasted pine kernels, 250g basil, 2 tbs cheese, 300ml olive oil and a pinch of salt. The Parmesan version is saltier than the pecorino, which gets slightly lost among the other ingredients. The flavour of the cheese goes beautifully with the basil, so I decide to compromise with half Parmesan and half pecorino.

Pine nuts

Pine nuts thicken the mixture and add a rich sweetness to the pesto. Toasting them before use helps bring out their flavour.

Use of the pestle

Basil is prone to wilting, turning black and losing its aroma if roughly handled. So, it should be as coarse as possible. A pestle can help with this.

Felicity's perfect pesto

II 2 tbs pine nuts

II 250g basil

II 25g Parmesan

II 25g pecorino

II 300ml olive oil

II Salt

Toast the pine nuts and cool. Lightly crush in a pestle, with a pinch of salt. Add basil leaves a few at a time and pound them into the mixture until you have a thick paste. Work in the cheese and add the oil, reserving a little for the top. Spoon into a jar and cover the top with oil. Refrigerate until use.