The Classic Pasta with Pesto Recipe from Genova

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Traditionally, the Genovese pesto recipe is served with fresh Trofie pasta, green beans, and potatoes. They are all cooked together in the same boiling pot, as the starch from the potatoes makes the sauce creamier.

What is pesto

The name Pesto in Italian means crushed, so literally speaking Pesto is any sauce with crushed ingredients.  Although, because Pesto from Genoa is the most renown, Pesto is often simply referred to as Genovese Pesto which is made with basil, Parmesan cheese, Pecorino cheese, pinenuts, and extra virgin olive oil.

Many other types of pestos are used in Italian cuisine, the most common being Red Pesto Palermitano made with fresh tomatoes or Pesto made with Arugula.

Usually, Pesto is used as a pasta sauce, but it can be used also for bruschetta, over pizzas or with barbecued meat or fish.

How is pesto Genovese served

If you google pesto recipe you will find Genovese pesto served with spaghetti or linguine. Delicious and easy to make but originally the Genovese pesto is served differently.

A pesto Genovese pasta bowl is a complete meal perfect for vegetarians, it uses a special type of pasta called Trofie and the pasta is cooked with potatoes and green beans.

It is a perfect light lunch to have during the summer filling and satisfying.  It can also be served as a side dish for a barbecue or a roast.

What is Trofie pasta

Trofie is a fresh pasta like a short twisted spaghetti with a chunky texture. It originated from the Ligurian region, it is simply made with semolina flour, salt, and water. It is a very old recipe, often made because it only needs these 3 ingredients. A knitting needle was used to roll the pasta and give it a twisted shape.

It is very easy to make fresh at home, and it is on my list of recipes to be published.

Here in Italy and France, you can find them in a normal supermarket. Wherever you are in the world you will probably find them in a specialized Italian shop.

Barilla makes a dry version of trofie, or if you have an Eataly shop near you they will definitely have them.

If you really cannot find them you can use fusilli or small penne.

Ingredients for Pesto recipe

• 2 cups of fresh basil leaves
• 6 tbsp Parmesan
• 2 tbsp Pecorino cheese
• 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp pinenuts
• 1 peeled garlic clove

Where do I find so much basil

When there is plenty of fresh basil growing in my vegetable patch.

…..I wish !!!

I try, I really do try to plant basil every year but I haven’t really been successful.

I planted it in the ground, in pots, in the shade, and in the sun.

Grown from seeds, bought the plants, watered it plenty, loved it like a son……and I always end up in Ventimiglia buying a large crate of basil to make my pesto.

Wishing for basil to grow

This year I decided to throw basil seeds everywhere around the garden and wherever the basil grows I will make a small altar with a statue of the Virgin Mary and bring blessed water from Mass every Sunday.

A miracle should happen!

But if you want to have more practical advice on how to grow basil, you can read my article on Lavancia Organic Farm: Hints and Tips to Grow Organic .

Updates on growing basil:

My strategy finally worked, I went to Ventimiglia cooperativa where they sell small plants to farmers. I bought a crate with 80 small plants of basil for pesto from Genova and planted them all around my vegetable patch.

I set up a heavy watering system some with drops some with sprinkles.

It worked, I had and still have plenty of basil in my garden. The best is the basil growing in between the tomato plants. I guess since the summer here is very hot and dry basil enjoys some shade.

It is now October and while the tomato plants are slowly dying, the basil is still going. I still water it every day with the sprinklers for at least 5 minutes at night.

Making the pesto

I know, traditionally pesto is made with a mortar, but we all have a blender and it is so much easier but there are some rules to follow:

1. Add all the ingredients for the pesto into a blender
2. The pesto should be mixed gradually with pulsing movements. If mixed continuously the heat created by the blades will oxidize the basil turning the pesto into a dark colour.

Prepare the vegetables

3. Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes
4. Clean and trim the stem ends of the green beans

Making the Genovese pesto recipe with Trofie pasta

It is very important in this recipe, that the potatoes, the green beans, and the Trofie are cooked in the same pot as the starch from the potatoes adds to the creaminess of the pasta.

All the vegetables and the pasta should finish cooking at the same time. 18 minutes for the potatoes, 5 for the green beans and 3 for the Trofie.  If the Trofie have a cooking time longer than 3 minutes add them earlier.

So add the ingredients into the boiling water based on their cooking time:

• Potatoes should boil for 18 minutes
• Green beans should boil for 5 minutes
• Trofie should boil for 3 minutes

5. In a large pan boil the potatoes for 13 minutes with 1 tbsp of salt
6. After 13 minutes add the green beans to the boiling potatoes and boil for 2 more minutes
7. As the Trofie usually require boiling for 3 minutes, add them after 15 minutes of boiling the potatoes
8. After a total of 18 minutes drain everything

If your Trofie needs more time to cook add them earlier so that everything is ready at the same time. For example, the Trofie from Barilla needs to cook for 10 minutes, so add them after 8 minutes of boiling the potatoes.

Preparing the pesto

9. Pour the pesto into your serving dish
10. Add 2 tbsp of the boiling water into the pesto to make it creamier. I also add 1 tbsp of butter, but it is optional

11. Mix immediately with the pesto, add more Parmesan and serve while still warm

Tips for making the best Genovese pesto recipe

• The pesto should be made with intermittent pulses otherwise the heat from the blade will oxidize the basil wich will result in a bitter and dark looking pesto.
• Add the pine nuts last if you want to taste their crunchiness.
• You can keep the pesto in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• You could freeze the pesto into an ice cube container, but don’t expect it to taste like the fresh one.
• The potatoes, the green beans, and the Trofie are cooked in the same pot so that the starch from the potatoes adds to the creaminess of the pasta.
• If you have any leftovers, you can make Italian fried pasta

If you are making this Trofie with Genovese pesto recipe, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.

The Classic Pesto Recipe Pasta Trofie

Traditionally, the Genovese pesto recipe is served with fresh Trofie pasta, green beans, and potatoes. They are all cooked together as the starch from the potatoes makes the sauce creamier. #yourguardianchef #pasta #italianfood

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings: 6 people

Print Pin Rate

Author: Laura Tobin

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh trofie pasta cooking time should be around 3 minutes
• 2 potatoes
• 7 oz fresh green beans
• 1 tbsp sea coarser salt

For the Pesto

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 6 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 tbsp Pecorino cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp pine nuts
• 1 clove peeled garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp butter optional
• 1 pinch salt

US Customary - Metric

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Instructions

• Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes
• In a large pan boil the potatoes for 13 minutes with 1 tbsp of salt 
• Clean and trim the stem ends of the green beans
• Add the green beans to the boiling potatoes and boil for 2 more minutes
• Add the trofie and cook for 3 more minutes. The trofie cooking time should be 3 minutes. 
• All the vegetables and the pasta should finish cooking at the same time. 18 minutes for the potatoes, 5 for the green beans and 3 for the trofie.  If the trofie have a cooking time longer than 3 minutes add them earlier.

Make the Pesto

• Add all the ingredients for the pesto in a blender. 
• The pesto should be mixed gradually with pulsing movements. If mixed continuously the heat created by the blades will oxidize the basil turning the pesto into a dark colour.
• Add 2 tbsp of the boiling water into the pesto to make it creamier. I also add 1 tbsp of butter, but it is optional

Combining all

• Drain the Trofie, the potatoes and the green beans
• Mix immediately with the pesto, add more Parmesan and serve while still warm

Video

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Notes

• The pesto should be made with intermittent pulses otherwise the heat from the blade will oxidize the basil. The result is a bitter and dark looking pesto.
• Also, add the pine nuts last if you want to taste their crunchiness.
• You can keep the pesto in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• You could freeze the pesto into an ice cube container, but don't expect the same taste like a fresh one.
• The potatoes, the green beans, and the Trofie are cooked in the same pot as the starch from the potatoes adds to the creaminess of the pasta.
• If you have any leftover, you can make Italian fried pasta

Nutrition

Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 1315mg | Potassium: 531mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 785IU | Vitamin C: 13.7mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 5.7mg

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