Real pesto genovese contains exactly 7 ingredients: Basilico Genovese DOP (from Prà, west of Genoa — smaller leaves, no mint aftertaste), Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Fiore Sardo, pine nuts (from the Mediterranean), garlic (from Vessalico, Liguria — mild, almost sweet), Ligurian extra-virgin olive oil (Taggiasca olives — delicate, not peppery), and coarse salt. No food processor. The ingredients are crushed in a marble mortar (mortaio) with a wooden pestle (pestello) — the crushing (not cutting) releases the oils from the basil without oxidation, producing a bright green sauce that tastes like summer concentrated into a spoonful. A blender heats the basil and turns it dark and bitter. This is the hill Genoese die on. Genoa guide → · Liguria →
Plan my Genoa food trip →Il Genovese (Via Galata 35r): Trofie al pesto that defines the genre. €10-12. Trattoria della Raibetta (Vico Caprettari 10): In the caruggi (alleys) near the old port — the pesto with trenette is textbook. €25-35. Sa Pesta (Via dei Giustiniani 16r): Farinata + pesto in the same meal — maximum Genoa. €12-18. The pesto with potatoes and green beans (trenette avvantaggiate or trofie con pesto, fagiolini e patate) is the traditional complete dish — the starch from the potatoes thickens the sauce, the beans add crunch. Don't order pesto with spaghetti. Genoese use trenette (flat, long), trofie (twisted, short), or gnocchi.
Every two years, 100 competitors from around the world gather in Genoa to make pesto al mortaio. Judges include chefs, food critics, and grandmothers. The competition is serious, emotional, and slightly absurd in the best Italian way. Spectators welcome. The next edition: check pestochampionship.it for dates. Basil from Prà: Visit the greenhouses in Prà (west Genoa coast) where Basilico Genovese DOP is grown. The plants never see direct sun — grown under netting to keep the leaves small and tender. Tours available through Consorzio del Basilico Genovese.
Make it yourself: buy a marble mortar (mortaio) in Genoa's shops (€30-60), Taggiasca oil, pine nuts, and DOP basil. The technique: garlic + salt first (crush to paste), add basil leaves in small batches (rotate the pestle, don't pound), add pine nuts (crush), add cheeses (mix), add oil in a stream. 10 minutes of arm work for 10 seconds of transcendence. Buy pre-made: Rossi 1947 (Via Brignole De Ferrari — artisan pesto, €8-12/jar). Avoid anything in a supermarket that contains cashews instead of pine nuts. Combine with: Genoa old town (caruggi, Porto Antico, Palazzo Ducale), Cinque Terre (1.5h), Portofino (30min).