Pesto alla Genovese

Pesto is one of the best expression of Italian regional cuisine. 

The ancient Romans used to eat a similar sauce called "moretum" which was made by crushing garlic, salt, cheese, herbs, olive oil and vinegar together 
The introduction of basil as the main ingredient of modern pesto, occurred in more recent times and has been introduced by gastronomist Giovanni Battista Ratto in his book La Cuciniera Genovese in 1863. Ligurians are very proud of their pesto.The Regione Liguria and the Pesto alla Genovese consortium established rules and regulations about ingredients and preparation of Pesto sauce.

Trenette in Pesto 

Time 1 hour 
Servings 4 
12 oz. trenette 
3 oz. green beans 
2 potatoes, salt 

FOR THE PESTO 
 4 basil bunches 
 2 garlic cloves 
 1/3 cup pine nuts 
 1/3 cup grated Grana Padano 
 3 tbsp. grated Pecorino 
 1 glass of Giordano Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
 coarse salt 

1. Detach the basil leaves from the stems. Wash them and lay on paper towels to dry. Peel the garlic and place it into a marble mortar with a few grains of coarse salt. Start pounding with the pestle.
    
2. Once the garlic is reduced to a pulp, add the pine nuts and continue to pound. next, add the basil leaves and crush them without pounding by rotating the pestle against the walls of the mortar. 
    
3. Without stopping, add the cheeses, then drizzle in about half of the olive oil. Transfer the pesto into a bowl and add the rest of the oil a little at a time while stirring with a wooden spoon. 
    
4. Clean  the  green  beans  and  peel  the  potatoes.  Chop  both. Bring salted water to a boil in a pot, drop in the vegetables. When they are almost cooked, add the trenette. 
    
5. Drain  the  pasta  and  the  vegetables,  transfer  into  a  tureen, season with the pesto, diluting if necessary with a ladleful of cooking liquid, and serve. 

and the right wine is Prosecco DOC