RECIPE OF THE WEEK:
Genoese pesto is one of the classic condiments for pasta dishes that can never be missing in the pantry: low in saturated fats and rich in fiber and minerals , it represents a perfect combination for those who want a quick but at the same time healthy, light and tasty solution .
Why not give an exotic touch to the traditional pesto from time to time by replacing its main ingredient, that is the common basil, the Perilla or Japanese Basil ?
Below is the recipe for the preparation of the most famous sauce of Liguria, but cooked with the fragrant leaves of this aromatic plant of oriental origins.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 80 ml of extra virgin olive oil
- 25 gr of perilla leaves
- 4 teaspoons of grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon of pine nuts
- 1 pinch of coarse sea salt
PREPARATION:
As per tradition, the leaves should not be washed at all, but gently cleaned with a damp cloth, so that they do not lose the precious essential oil.
- Peel the garlic and crush it in a mortar; when it becomes a cream add the Perilla leaves (or a mix of Perilla / Basil, if you do not like the particularly intense flavor of this plant) together with a pinch of coarse salt, which serves to crush the fibers and maintain the original green color brilliant of the Perilla. It is not recommended to use a blender or a mixer, because the strong rotation speed of the blades would tend to heat the mixture leading to the loss of mineral salts.
- Crush the leaves well and, when you notice the sap coming out, add the pine nuts and continue to pound until it reaches a creamy consistency. The most leathery saps left at the end of the preparation must be carefully removed.
- Finally add the Parmesan a little at a time, continuing to mix, and finally the olive oil slowly, letting it mix slowly with the rest of the mixture.
Try to bring a touch of the Orient to your tables by revisiting this typical recipe of the Ligurian tradition and using it to season your pasta or rice dishes!
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