Pesto - How to Make "Real" Fresh Basil Pesto

Check out the recipe: www.allrecipes.com/Recipe/258213/Proper-Pesto/

This video is the besto.

1am, I have an exam tomorrow... I'm watching chef John make pesto

I was born and i am living in Genoa, i make pesto weekly... and I approve your pesto! :) However, you should try to find the smallest basil leaves you can. Large leaves make for a dark green color and a stronger, overwhelming flavour, while small basil leaves make for the bright right green and a more garlic-y flavour (and pesto is first and foremost garlic sauce). The reason why they told you basil should be blooming is that our basil has leaves that are a quarter/ an eight the size of that used in the video even during blooming season, but I believe for varieties other than Prè Basil I would just suggest to use a younger plant. Also, if your pecorino is too savoury, try mixing parmesan and pecorino, that's how we do it here when the good pecorino is somehow not available :)

There once was a Vlog called Food Wishes that taught people how to cook dishes. With mortar and pestle the Basil he'd wrestle, the paste making sounds like green squishes.

"A little bit of bud doesn't hurt" Couldn't have said it better myself, Chef John.

Between chef John's enormous hands and tiny spoons, I'm always confused about the scale of the food he prepares. But I love all his recipes, esp. the Italian stuff!

"this pesto is the truth and not everyone can handle the truth." lmaoXD

I knew I bought that mortar and pestle for a good reason! Basil is growing in my yard. Time to try this out!

" a little bit of bud doesn't hurt" truer words have never been said, chef

This guys inflection 😂😂😂

"Not everyone can handle the truth" Chef John coming at you with the kitchen wisdom.

the way he speaks is fucking with my brain lol

Hey Chef John! I agree with you about the extra olive oil on the top of the finished product. It does oxidize quickly and the oil will help with slowing the process. Also, if I'm making a small enough batch to keep in the fridge for a couple of days, I've had great results placing a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the sauce to keep it from oxidizing just as you would with a custard to prevent a skin from forming. It works perfectly. I've also had success with freezing a larger batch into smaller portions to save for later if I can't use the whole batch within a few days.

This video is the Besto & better than the restO!

I just bought a big stone mortar and pestle and now I know what the first thing I'm making with it. That looks soooo good!

I would argue that there is no such thing as 'real pesto'. I read a fascinating piece on pesto a couple of years ago, and one thing that really stood out was a quote from a guy who lives in Genoa and is very serious about his pesto. He simply said, "Pesto is the way you make pesto". You have your pesto rosso, pesto trapanese, pesto genovese, and thousands of other variations. Keep on making delicious pastes, and keep on calling them pesto. Obsession with 'authenticity' stifles innovation. As I frequently say, "If it makes your nonna cry, that's alright with me."

Your videos always make my day that much better. Thank you for brightening my evenings!

You put me in a good mood, Chef John.And for that, I am very grateful. I'll have to look for fresh basil now, this looks sooooo good.

I'm throwing this on some pizza crust with artichoke hearts, onions, olives, tomatoes, spinach, and red peppers. In the words of Chandler Bing, can it BE any better than this?