ABBONDANZA!

In the past month, we received several questions from readers that were interested in techniques for creating the perfect pesto. In an effort to provide you the most accurate and up-to-date information, we offer the following report complete with a world-class recipe for the silky green sauce that dreams are made of...

Earlier this year, on Saturday, the 19th of April, the second "Genoa Pesto World Championship" was held in Genoa's historic Palazzo Ducale. The competition, organized by 'PalatiFini', a cultural and gastronomic association, whose name means 'Refined Palates' drew in contestants from seventeen different countries. To compete, all attendees were required to make their pesto exclusively with a mortar and pestle, and by using only authentic ingredients.

The Championship is surrounded by a variety of other events that included Ligurian food tours, pesto-based product tastings, instructional courses on making pesto, and a variety of other gastronomic and commercial events organized by local merchants, restaurants, and trade organizations.

Judged by a panel of distinguished guests from the region... At the end of the day, after 315 competitors were reduced to 100 finalists, those in the final cut presented their version of the culinary delight. We are proud to report that the 2008 Pesto World Champion was none other than Chef James D. Bowien, an American from San Francisco. Second and third place were awarded to two Genoese competitors: Mauro Canepa and Alfonsina Trucco, respectively. Chef Bowien works at Ristorante Farina in San Francisco, a restaurant that specializes in Ligurian cuisine, and boasts the talents of Genoese Executive Chef Paolo Laboa.

And now, the Golden Pestle leaves Italia for the United States. Do you think you have what it takes to win this championship? If so, the third Pesto World Championship will be held in 2010.

So now, we move on to the two most frequently and recently asked questions regarding Pesto: Can we provide a recipe? - and - What is the best way to create a pesto, by hand or by using a blender. To answer the first, we present you with the recipe for the world championship recipe. The answer to the second depends on how much of a purist you are. In Genoa Italia, traditional pesto is made by hand utilizing a wooden pestle and a marble mortar. In many places around the world, especially with the advent of time-sensitive food shows on TV, the lovely green concoction is made in a blender. All traditionalists will tell you that a metal blade should never come in contact with the precious and pristine ingredients used to make pesto. So to answer that question from a personal perspective, we at Abbondanza! prefer the traditional manual method.

Mortar Made Pesto Sauce Recipe

Note: This recipe is courtesy of the Genoa Pesto World Championship, and includes the actual ingredients that all competitors were required to use to produce their final entry.

Authentic Ingredients   

• 4 bunches of fresh PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) Genoese basil, which guarantees high-quality taste and flavor
• 30 g pine nuts
• 445-60 g aged Parmesan cheese, grated
• 20-40 g Fiore Sardo cheese (Pecorino Sardo), grated
• 1-2 garlic cloves from Vassalico (Imperia)
• 10 g coarse salt
• 60-80 cc PDO extra-virgin olive oil from the “Italian Riviera”, renowned for its sweet and fruity taste, which adds flavour to the basil and dressing.

Preparation

1. The marble mortar and wooden pestle are the tools traditionally used to make pesto. Wash the basil leaves in cold water and dry them on a small kitchen towel - but don’t rub them.
2. In a mortar finely crush the garlic clove and pine nuts until they are smooth. Add a few grains of salt and the non-pressed basil leaves, then pound the mixture using a light circular movement of the pestle against the sides.
3. Repeat this process.
4. When the basil drips bright green liquid, add the Parmesan cheese and the Fiore sardo cheese.
5. Pour in a thin layer of PDO extra-virgin olive oil from the Italian Riviera, which lightly blends the ingredients without overdoing.
6. The preparation must be done as quickly as possible to avoid oxidation problems. This is not the only possible way to make pesto. In fact, in Genoa and Liguria each person has a secret to this recipe: you will never find two cups of pesto that are the same.

Buon Appetito!