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IN CUCINA prized pesto Chef Paolo Laboa brings the mother of Italian summer sauces to America from his native Genova, and delivers the secrets of his spectacular recipe. by Mindy Fox EN OLS A T I When Paolo Laboa discovered a potted Genovese-style : BR the restaurant, and this discovery meant he could pursue G N basil plant at a supermarket in San Francisco in the spring the undertaking. His family recipe, made the way it had LI TY of 2007, he couldn’t believe his luck. A recent transplant been for generations, would prove to be Farina’s flagship S from Genova who came to the city to helm Farina dish, and it has been internationally recognized as the best restaurant in the Mission district, the 43-year-old chef of its kind. hadn’t had a proper plate of pesto after three months in DECENZO; DECENZO; “Genovese are raised on pesto, but the rest of the world LA E the U.S.—a near culinary tragedy, since like most has never understood how to prepare it,” says Luca Minna, G Genovese, he ate it several times a week back home. Paolo Farina’s owner. Pesto alla Genovese in the U.S. is often a : AN had hoped to bring his recipe for Pesto alla Genovese to disappointment. It can be army green in color, too garlicky APHS R G OTO H P LaCucinaitaLianaMag.coM • 27 IN CUCINA PRIZED PESTO and unappealingly grainy—far from authentic and nothing LET IT SOAK Genovese like Laboa’s bright, pea-green sauce that is at once vibrant, Soaking basil leaves for ‘‘ delicate and impossibly creamy. 15 minutes in cold water are raised To make authentic pesto, Italian pine nuts, cheeses and before making pesto oil can be imported, but shipping fresh basil from Genova is softens them, and removes on pesto, another matter. Genovese basil (ocimum basilicum) is a unwanted bitterness or but the rest finicky variety not popular with U.S.-based commercial herb licorice notes. Avoid large growers. It prefers a desert climate, needs shadehouse leaves (3 inches or more) of the world protection and succumbs easily to infection and disease. from older plants, which Lucky for Laboa, the plant he spotted at the market carried are more fibrous and bitter, has never BEST BASIL a label for Maristone Farms, a grower who was becoming and require a more In Italy, Genovese basil is a known among discriminating chefs as a star supplier of aggressive preparation. In understood D.O.P. product (Protected specialty herbs. lieu of soaking older leaves, Designation of Origin)— His pesto, traditionally paired with mandilli di seta, or blanch them for 30 seconds how to basil grown outside of the handkerchief pasta, won the gold in 2008 at the prestigious in boiling water, then region of Liguria cannot Genova World Pesto Championship, a competition of 100 plunge them in ice water. prepare it.” legally be labeled chefs from around the world held in the Palazzo Ducale in the city’s Old Town. —Luca Minna Genovese. To make a proper pesto in the U.S., Below, we’ve included his family recipe, along with tips and look for basil labeled Italian techniques Laboa employs to give his sauce its winning edge. Classic, Sweet or Genovese- style. Young bunches are best. The leaves are sweet pesto alla genovese with brighter flavors than GENOVESE BASIL PESTO older plants, which carry a 30 minutes | Makes 1⅛ cups scent of licorice. When 2 ounces basil leaves (6 cups loosely packed), you’re buying basil at the preferably Genovese-style (see sidebar, left) market, look for bright, ⅓ cup pine nuts, preferably Italian pale emerald, cup-shaped ⅓ small garlic clove, any center green stem leaves. You can also grow removed and discarded your own basil. We order ½ cup fruity, mild extra-virgin olive oil, from Seeds from Italy, a preferably Ligurian plus more for keeping, U.S.-based company that if needed distributes heirloom seeds 1 teaspoon medium or flakey coarse sea salt from Italy’s oldest family- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmigiano- owned seed company Reggiano cheese (growitalian.com). CHOICE CHEESES ⅓ cup freshly grated Fiore Sardo or aged Laboa uses a blend of Pecorino Toscano cheese Parmigiano-Reggiano, aged SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: a blender with glass or 24 or 36 months, and metal (not plastic) jar Pecorino Fiore Sardo, a Sardinian sheep’s milk Place blender jar in freezer to chill. Meanwhile, submerge cheese with a hint of salty basil in a large bowl of cold water; let stand 5 minutes. Using smoke. Aged Pecorino hands, gently lift leaves from water. Repeat twice, using rinsed Toscano can be used in bowl and fresh water each time. Rinse bowl again and fill with place of Fiore Sardo, but cold water. Soak the cleaned leaves in the water, 15 minutes. avoid Pecorino Romano, After basil has soaked, remove blender jar from freezer. which is too salty. Combine nuts and garlic in chilled jar, then cover with oil. FINELY GRATED Purée until nuts are very finely chopped and mixture is Using a fine blade to creamy, then add salt. grate cheeses for pesto In 4 additions, lift basil from water, shaking off excess creates light, fluffy strands that dissolve seamlessly but not all water from leaves (a bit of water will aid into the sauce. We emulsification), add to blender and, using 3 or 4 short prefer Microplane for pulses for each addition, purée just to combine (do MANDILLI DI SETA its razor-sharp blades not overblend). Add cheese, then, using 2 or 3 very short AL PESTO GENOVESE (us.microplane.com). pulses, purée just to combine. LaCucinaitaLianaMag.coM • 29 IN CUCINA PRIZED PESTO Transfer pesto to a small container. If not using within TEMPERING THE SAUCE 30 minutes, cover with a thin film of oil and refrigerate, Slowly whisking just covered, for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. enough hot pasta water Thaw frozen pesto in refrigerator overnight or at room into the pesto (see recipe, temperature about 1 hour. left) before tossing it with pasta gently warms the sauce and renders it light BLENDER mandilli di seta al pesto genovese and creamy. Never heat Traditionally, pesto is made SILK HANDKERCHIEF PASTA pesto over a flame or in a by hand by grinding the WITH GENOVESE BASIL PESTO microwave. This destroys basil and other ingredients 35 minutes plus resting | 4 to 6 servings both flavor and texture. in a mortar and pestle. But 2 cups “00” or unbleached all-purpose Laboa also stands behind flour plus more for dusting his blender technique, 2 large eggs, at room temperature which not only saves on ¼ cup dry white wine time and effort, but creates 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmigiano- a sumptuous, creamy sauce Reggiano cheese plus more for serving (see recipe, p.29). He chills Fine or coarse sea salt the blender jar in the 1⅛ cups Genovese Basil Pesto (see page 29) freezer before making the Small basil leaves for garnish (optional) pesto. The cold blade SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: parchment or wax paper, NOT JUST FOR PASTA reduces the oxidization of pasta machine Here are four easy ways to the basil leaves, which can use Laboa’s pesto to elevate cause bitterness. On a clean work surface, mound flour, then form a well in everyday dishes. 1. Swirl it center. Add eggs to the well. Cup hand around outside wall of into chicken or vegetable well to prevent collapsing and, using a fork, gently beat eggs soups. 2. Spoon it over fried to combine whites and yolks, then add wine and cheese to or poached eggs. 3. Use the well. Using the fork, slowly incorporate flour from the it as a sauce for roast or inside rim of the well. Continue until liquid is absorbed (about grilled chicken, grilled half of the flour will be incorporated), then knead until dough shrimp or other grilled fish. forms a mostly complete mass. Knead 7 to 9 minutes more 4. Drizzle it over your next to form a smooth dough. Cover dough with clean, lightly caprese salad, freshly sliced mozzarella or bright dampened dishtowel (not terry cloth); let rest at room summer vegetables. temperature 30 minutes. Divide dough into 4 pieces. Cover 3 pieces with towel. Flatten uncovered dough so that it will fit through the rollers of a pasta machine. Set rollers of pasta machine at the widest setting, then feed dough through rollers 3 or 4 times, folding and turning dough until it is smooth and the width of the machine. Feed pasta through machine, dusting pasta sheet lightly with flour, if needed, as you roll, decreasing the setting one notch at a time (do not fold or turn pasta), to thin sheet that you can just see your hand through, ½ to 1 millimeter thick. KEEPING IT FRESH Cut sheet crosswise into 6- or 7-inch lengths; dust both Pesto keeps, with a thin sides of sheets with flour. Layer sheets between floured pieces layer of extra-virgin olive oil of parchment or wax paper. Cover with paper and repeat on top to prevent oxidation, with remaining dough. in an airtight container, for up to 1 week in the Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place pesto in a refrigerator or 3 months Paolo Laboa is a master of large wide serving bowl. Cook pasta in the boiling water until more than Genovese pesto. His frozen. Thaw in the other signature pesti include al dente, about 2 minutes. Reserving ¼ cup pasta cooking refrigerator overnight or at walnut and olive. Go to lcimag.

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