Pesto is practically synonymous with Liguria — Genoa in particular. The traditional recipe calls for a mortar and pestle, but nowadays, many just prepare the sauce in a food processor.
The best basil for pesto alla genovese comes from Pra. These soft green, small oval leaves have a delicate fragrance and don't contain the traces found in other basil varieties.
In 2005 the Genoese basil grown received the recognition of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) by the European Community.
This version includes dark chocolate, which adds an interesting note. Make sure your basil is fragrant and that you use a delicate extra-virgin olive oil.
How to prepare chocolate basil pesto
Ingredients (for 4)
2 oz. basil leaves
2 oz. nutritional yeast
2 oz pine nuts
grated lemon zest
2 pinches coarse salt
½ oz. 99% chocolate
Method
Clean the basil leaves with a soft cloth, then place them in the mortar with the coarse salt. Turn the pestle from left to right to crush the basil leaves against the sides of the mortar.
Continue until the leaves emit a bright green liquid, then add the pine nuts and yeast and continue crushing until creamy.
Add the lemon peel, the finely chopped chocolate, and the extra-virgin olive oil.
Mix all the ingredients well until uniform. Serve the sauce with pasta, on top of bruschetta, or alongside main courses and side dishes.
