I've been making Pesto wrong my entire life... (la ricetta genovese 🤌)
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- čas přidán 9. 05. 2024
- True Italian Pesto Alla Genovese recipe. Go to drinkag1.com/alex for your 1st purchase and receive a FREE 1-year supply Vitamin D3+K2 and 5 travel packs. Thanks to AG1 for sponsoring today's video
The original Pesto video from Italia Squisita : • Pesto: la ricetta orig...
Pesto alla Genovese is a vibrant Italian sauce originating from Genoa in Liguria. Its key ingredients include fresh basil, pine nuts, Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil. Traditionally made using a mortar and pestle, this aromatic sauce is renowned for its rich flavor and versatility, often used to enhance pasta dishes or as a flavorful topping for bruschetta.
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Salut,
Alex - Zábava
Great job Alex!! 🌱 🙏💚
Approved by the authority ! Grazie mille for sharing such greatness
4:05 "there is one video"
When you already know what video he's talking about.😂
Likewise, when it's about italian cuisine, they are my go to.
Grazie, Italia Squisita!
Italian Sqisita is such an amazing channel and if you say Alex did a "great job" than this is a really hight praise.
Superb, this is how Authentic pesto Geno made with luv, also never cook pesto with pasta or gnocci , just add it with a bit of luv and passion toss, mix mix , enjoy ❤
@@BarAlexC I've not seen the IS video before but surely know that it was from their channel. 🤣
It just struck me: This is increasingly a channel where a Frenchman, in English, goes on about Italian food. ;) and I am pleased you discovered how to make proper pesto.
And a mexican watches… 😂😂😂🇲🇽
almost everything he says in this vidéo is incorrect, his choice of cheese, his method, the pasta he uses, any ligurian would be shocked, please look at some other videos, this is THE worst Alex ever made
@@nitraM321 video is spelled video not vidéo. worst spelling ever
he is french@@BurkenProductionsin french it's vidéo
@@nitraM321 I found some Ligurians that said he performed relatively well. Some also say he just missed the Basil type or he should use a Parmegiano with Pecorino mix, but overall it was a close call, according to them. They are in these same comments if you want to check.
I am not hating on you, I am just interested on knowing how you think Alex screwed, since as I can't 100% believe they all are Ligurian, I can't 100% believe you are Ligurian, but I still want to know if this is indeed an informational video in some aspects.
I love how every meal is an existential crisis in these videos. I love it, it reminds us that food is important.
One day, Alex'll will look soulfully at the camera and say "There is something wrong with my grilled cheese sandwich" and there will be nothing out of place about the emotion.
It'll make so much sense, you can probably imagine exactly those words in his voice.
More like every video is an ad. Seems like he's looking to retire early.
Hi Alexa, I'm from Genoa and I'm very happy that you try to reproduce pesto in a mortar, which isn't easy. there are two key elements that are missing 1. the Genoese basilisk, with very small and tender leaves that are completely separated in the mortar and have a much more intense and non-minty scent, but since you are in France it doesn't matter 2. the pecorino Fior Sardo or pecorino should be added in smaller quantities than parmesan, but it must be there! otherwise it's like making a carbonara only with parmesan. for the rest, congratulations, visit Genoa, a wonderful city,
Agreed, I use a 60/40 Parm to Pecorino mix. It is quite difficult to find true Genoese basil in the US. So I tend only make pesto in the hight of growing season. I have one or two plants that I never let get too large and prune them often to keep the leaves small and delicate.
@@jred5153 very good, so you get a very similar product. I recommend you try to replicate the very good walnut sauce with pansotti (spinach "ravioli")
I would love to visit Genova to try real pesto. But would you say you can get good quality pesto in a glass from the shop? Sometimes I order expensive pesto in a glass from Italy made with the right ingedients. I think it tastes wonderful but I have never tried fresh mortar made pesto. The reason I have not tried is because I read that it should be baby leaf basil from Liguria, and I can’t get that here in Norway.
Ciao,
Would you have it with spaghetti as well? Personally, I prefer trofie.
@@sharpblade89Yes Trofie or Trenette with pesto, green beans and potatoes. Thanks to the Luca movie I learned about this. Pasta with Noci sauce (walnut sauce) is almost as good.
I love pesto! Have made this Genoese pesto (with mortar and pestle) for many years. But I recently started learning other types of traditional pesto from all around Italy…and am now hooked on Sicilian pesto made with pistachios. Would love to see you do a pesto series and explore the many other varieties!
Pesto Trapanese? With almonds?
@@andrewharrison8975 Pesto trapanese is with Almonds, Basil, Tomatoes and Garlic. You can also add roasted grinded almonds on top, with parmigiano or pecorino. And you should eat it with fired aubergines dropped onto the plate. Amazing!
There's also parsley pesto with walnuts.
this channel is turning into an ASMR channel thing........its all in the so called feeling...what happend to the blue prints...eh alex ?
For a non traditional but delicious variation... here in Oregon we have plenty of Hazelnuts and pesto made with them has a wonderfully rich, nutty flavor.
Alex! Italy needs to give you a citizenship for all your amazing contributions! You're amazing🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🤌🤌🤌🍝🍝🍝🍝
He already technically has one
One more video about pasta and he is going to be kicked out of France😂
They won't. I've lived in Italy. The fact he elected parmesan instead of peccorino and traditional pesto in Liguria also includes potatoes, which are MIA in this dish, disqualify him immediately from that honor 😂.
I will say, however, he's done an OK job. A pestil and mortar make all the difference and no self respecting Italian from Vetta d'Italia to Meridione would dare call anything not made with a mortar and pestil, pesto. This, with its variations, still qualifies as pesto.
except he's just recreating videos from an italian youtube channel, I think italy already has it covered :P
@@Anil18834 I'm Italian, and I must say he did more than just an 'okay' job. Potatoes and fagiolini are indeed quite typical, but excluding them doesn't disqualify it from being considered a true pesto. The Parmigiano vs Pecorino debate is a longstanding one, even here, but it is essentially a matter of preference, only pecorino, only parmigiano or a mix
There is actually a second "famous" anti-blender pesto video: the FAT episode of Samin Nosrat's Salt, Fat, Acid Heat. Genovese Nonna explains the importance not only of the pestle and mortar, but of the order and proportions of the ingredients, and the rotating motion, in order to emulsify the different fatty "juices" from the pine nuts, garlic, cheese (hence the importance of fatty pecorino) and basil leafs . Life-changing pesto game for the last 4 years.
Glad someone mentioned SAFH! ❤ I learned so much from that series, I'll never make focaccia any other way.
Salut Alex! As a Ligurian viewer (the region where pesto come from) i really enjoyed the video, as always. One of the reasons behind the quality of the traditional pesto made without a food processor regards the heat. By manually crushing the basil you don't overheat the leaves (that's also why u put the mortar in the freezer). Another way to emulate this with a food processor is by using a bath ice for the leaves and add some ice in the mixer as well. The texture will never be the same tho. I thought you would be interested. And yes, try and mix pecorino with parmesan! Love your vids
You can see these food processor techniques being used by Massimo Bottura in videos where he's making pesto.
Exactly what I wanted to say! (except my knowledge doesn't come from tradition but from experimenting)
Another way to avoid overheating while using a food processor is pulsing instead of keep blending. For those who can't use a mortar and pestle, don't worry, most Italians don't as well, it's labour intensive and, well, you need a mortar. But I strongly suggest to make your own at least once if you only bought it. For storage it keeps well enough in the freezer, as soon as you make it and in portions that you won't have to refreeze.
Hi Alex! You missed one crucial element for the perfect pesto: the basil species. Not every basil is the same; there are many species of basil. For the original Pesto alla Genovese, you need the Basilico Genovese D.O.P. It is a particular variety of basil that has really small leaves and a delicate aroma. It's crucial to make the original Pesto alla Genovese. Try making it with those leaves, and you will see the difference!
yes, ligurian basil is TOTALY different, it's spicy, amazing, nothing to do with that stuff that comes either from france, or surprisingly from Kenya
he also forgot the oil
it is not really the right season for fresh basil (maybe in South Italy, but not in France)
Unfortunately in many parts of the world it's next to impossible to find this variety unless you grow it yourself.
@@tarantellalarouge7632herbs can be grown year round in greenhouses
Bonjour Alex from France, here is Alex from Vienna calling with big compliments - that’s the right way to make pesto. I remember what my grandfather, who decided to live in a small village in Italy after 2 nd world war and working in a small trattoria in San Daniele, always said about making pesto:
For pesto you need time, love and the right way how the ingredients going to prepared to a kind of creamy and sticky paste with a wooden mortar.
You did it the right way! I love your videos sooooo much! Thank you.
in some Ligurian cities they use to add boiled potatoes and green beans in the pasta al pesto.
You should give it a try,it really is an improvement.
As some others italians are writing in the comments i too suggest to use pecorino instead of parmesan cheese.
Great video by the way, you're a really good artistic director i'd say.
u pesto accomodou
ma la prescinseua non la usa più nessuno?
I watched this video expecting to learn something new, like I always do in your videos. But this time I figured out I've been making pesto the right way my whole life. Just like my dad taught me!
Go dad! And go Alex!
The moment you tasted your dish and that 'mmmm' came along it immediately conjured a smile on my face. I've been in love with the Italian cuisine for a long time now and have also experienced that same emotion. You just know you made something godlike. As per usual, keep up the good work Alex, your videos are inspiring.
Happy new year alex! Looking forward to another amazing year with your content 😊😊😊😊❤❤❤❤
Your visuals and editing style is actually amazing. Have to give credit to how creative you can be for even the smallest of things. Nicely done
Thank you for all the love you give to Italian cuisine in your videos!
I've been following your channel for a few years now and you never cease to amaze me with your dedication. Never change ❤we need more people like you😊
Alex again rediscovering the most basic elements of a cuisine and presenting it beautifully.
he comes off as a bit pretentious to me, this was a 16 minute video that you could sum up with 1 sentence and it wouldn't be missing anything of significance. I love that he's excited about it, but come on, I feel like I'm not watching a cooking video anymore, but a guy who wants to share with my evrty little detail of what he read online recently
he comes off as a bit pretentious to me, this was a 16 minute video that you could sum up with 1 sentence and it wouldn't be missing anything of significance. I love that he's excited about it, but come on, I feel like I'm not watching a cooking video anymore, but a guy who wants to share with my evrty little detail of what he read online recently
he comes off as a bit pretentious to me, this was a 16 minute video that you could sum up with 1 sentence and it wouldn't be missing anything of significance. I love that he's excited about it, but come on, I feel like I'm not watching a cooking video anymore, but a guy who wants to share with my evrty little detail of what he read online recently
he comes off as a bit pretentious to me, this was a 16 minute video that you could sum up with 1 sentence and it wouldn't be missing anything of significance. I love that he's excited about it, but come on, I feel like I'm not watching a cooking video anymore, but a guy who wants to share with my evrty little detail of what he read online recently
Not only the perfection of the video making, but also the topics are always spot on! And the choice of music by the way !!
Alex! You make, by far, my favorite cooking videos! You meticulously cover every detail, even in something simple as pesto. I love that about this channel, bc I too obsessed over details so I relate so much.
Also the editing and production are 😙🤌 lol
I'm Italian and this Is One of my favorite CZcams Channel for quisine. And not for the fact that Alex often cooks italian, but for the sheer passion that permeates every video he makes. Amazing .
the drama! the suspense!
I was looking at all the basil growing in my garden and thinking I need to make pesto. I was just planning on blitzing it in the food processor, but this traditional method looks amazing. I will have to try it at least once this season, but I need to go buy a wooden pestle. Thanks for another entertaining video Alex.
Alex! Your explanation is so unique and detailed! Just as much as I love watching people eat my food, I love watching your videos!
The level of passion and respect you have for food and the individual aspects of the process as well as ingredients has made me a fan instantly. Well done!
If you try it in Genova region, it will have a peculiar taste, given by a very sweet basil they have there.
That sounds incredible
It might be possible that you have missed the fact that garlic is actually a great emulsifier, which in combination with olive oil can lead to a mayonnaise-like texture (aioli is basically just garlic, oil and water). Adam Ragusea did a video on just the emulsifying properties of garlic - highly recommended!
Bravo! This channel is the most important cooking show on CZcams. People would all be happier if they put this amount of thought, effort, and passion to their special dishes. Anything can be elevated.
Alex - I made this tonight after obsessing over this video since you posted it. It was amazing. I’ve never had anything like it. I had basil growing in my aero garden and I was so happy to put it to use.
i first learned about the mortar/pestle technique from samin nosrat in salt fat acid heat. so glad you had a go at it as well, looks amazing!
Can't stress enough how good of a videomaker you've become. I've been watching you for years and the quality in terms of direction, photography, cuts, audio... Great job Alex, once again! I knew already how to make Pesto but it was still very much worth watching.
yeah, this guy is a true artist. A true storyteller and filmmaker.
We love your passion Alex! You always inspire me to do better in the kitchen! I can't wait to try pesto this way
That chef's table montage was incredibly close to the real deal, nice work on this one Alex!
One minor correction: you forgot the Fiore Sardo. And it’s important, it will make it even better. Always try to get young, smaller leaves basil (genovese basil is almost impossible to get abroad) because they are better in flavour than the big, old ones. Also, I would reduce the garlic, take the core out. If the pesto cane out pungent, it’s because of these two things.
If I have older, big leaved basil, I make pesto alla trapanese. The tomatoes are sweet, so they camouflage the pungent taste.
I’ve EVER made any pesto NOT in the mortar (including pesto di pistacchi), and it’s worth the effort. I know how mixed pesto taste because others don’t have the tools or time but once they tried mine, they realised it’s a big difference.
I usually roast the pine nuts, which can be challenging because they should be brown but not black, but it gives a really special taste to it. You should also wait until they are cool so the basil won’t cook ✌️
Thanks Alex for explaining this pesto technique, made with time, patience, and love!
I just watched the Italia Squisita video you referenced and I believe you nailed it, Alex. Well done. I can’t wait until fresh herb season returns.
I was so happy when he took the ingredients for good pesto out and then he blended them...
As a wood turner getting pretty deep in how to make a proper mortar and pestle for the proper use I partially agree with you. I totally agree when it comes to using marble or granit mortars and refrigerating them for making pesto or aïoli. But I think wooden ones made properly are better when it comes to spices grinding. The wood used in yours is too soft, the shape is too opened, and having a pestle made in something harder than the mortar is asking for troubles.
For pesto I would be curious to see if there's any differences between using a marble one compared to a granit one (marble is supposed to keep cooler and has a less grainy structure probably leading to a different effect on fibers...)
Keep on Alex, very good stuffs as usual.
On adore te regarder avec ma chérie, je lui ai fait découvrir ta chaîne et à chaque fois qu'il y a une nouvelle vidéo elle est autant impatiente que moi.
Merci pour tous ton travail, les plans vidéos sont superbes ❤
I just love the evolution on this channel. I love everthing
I always blanch the basil leaves for about 30 seconds, then start the whole mix in a food processor. Once it's chopped down fairly well, I move it to a stone wet grinder and let it run for about 15-20 minutes, which is about the equivalent of 20 hours of grinding with a mortar and pestle. It comes out with a texture almost like a buttercream icing and completely emulsified. Most importantly, it intensifies the flavor dramatically. Then, to finish it up, I add in some freshly minced garlic, basil, grated parm and crushed pinenuts, just to bring back a bit of texture. I've never found a method that produces anywhere near the same intensity of flavor or smoothness of texture.
Never heard owt like that before 😂
@@angelaberni8873 No one does it like that because most people don't have a wet grinder at home, unless they're from India, and Indian folks don't generally make pesto. But a wet grinder is basically just a motorized mortar and pestle. It does the job much faster, easier and better.
Hi Alex, great video as always.
I’ve been making pesto this way since watching “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” series on Netflix.
They make pesto with La Nonna Lidia, and she stresses making it this way rather than with a food processor, it makes a huge difference.
I like the tips for using a wooden pestle and cold mortar, I’ll have to give it a go.
almost everything he says in this vidéo is incorrect, his choice of cheese, his method, the pasta he uses, any ligurian would be shocked, please look at some other vidéos, this is THE worst Alex ever made
@@nitraM321Can you elaborate further? There are many comments from Italians (and one from the Italia Squisita channel) praising him, so I'm surprised by reading the complete opposite view. But I'm happy to learn.
Spaghetti is totaly the wrong pasta for pesto, parmesan the wrong cheese, and his method is not ideal, by the way, Italia Squisita are not the reference for pesto at all, i have explained all this here allready.@@JudyCZ
Pasta is best served with Troffie, Testarolli, nothing sticks to spaghetti that has the worst surface to volume ratio of all types of pasta, Pesto is made with Pecorino Romano, or a mix of Pecorino and Parmesan, he puts the pine nuts in too early, that reduces them to a paste, it's better to have some texture. etc etc.. i have been making Pesto, Pasta and cheeses for over 30 years@@JudyCZ
I can't wait to try this one! Merci beaucoup Alex!
Your video are such a refuge alex after a 10 hour shift cooking is my oasis thank you for inspiring me
Started experimenting with making my own pesto with a mortar this summer. I found that also grinding a bit of the basil stem and not just the leaves can make a nice variation of it. The taste get a slightly bitter tone which I liked!
Bought a big granite mortar and it's a great tool to have in the kitchen :)
You mean the bazil stem? Wich pesto is made from?
You mean basil, right? Basilicum...
I also add a few slivers of serrano or jalapeño to the mix for an extra flavor.
@@aragregorian6039 yes! That is what I meant, just edited it
@@mikaelpierre6783 yep, I meant the basil stem
I think the secret between a good and bad pesto starts with the quality of the ingredients. Then you have to understand that some herbs are sensitive to heat, such as basil is. Too much heat while processing it, and you lose in flavour. Then a secret is to use slightly roasted pine nuts (all or half-and-half) and let them cool down (outside or in the fridge) before utilize them.
Barilla pesto is not a real pesto, if you have a look at the ingredient list.
Alex, grand respect pour la progression de la qualité de tes vidéos. C'est un bonheur à regarder. *chef's kiss*
Love your videos ! Love the pasion for cooking . Sending love from Czechia
Genovese here. Try to have the smallest leaves you can find. The less impact basil has, the better will be pesto.
...e meno aglio.
@@mondasca2740 il giusto ;)
and EVO from the riviera dei fiori ;-)
Hi Alex! Is the rotisserie chicken series complete? I was hoping you discovered the secret to getting that juicy chicken you buy in the store😅
No secret at all!!!....Just put chicken in a brine for at least 24 hours!-Brine:60g sugar + 60g salt/l of brine! +perhaps add some paprika and cumin!
As I understand it, the secret to his mother’s chicken was……she bought it from a rotisserie store 🤷♂️.
@@pe.bo.5038then eat it raw? Nice.
@@johnnunn8688 You probably wasted your last brain cell on this comment!🤢🤮
The secret was using specific chicken and rotisserie technique
Very interesting story! Great looking shots btw. And I like how you go not an extra mile, but sometimes extra half-marathon, like the whole story with french omelets
After i saw that Italia Squisita video i also tried this and was blown away. Also im super glad the new mostly kitchen studio didnt relegate the maker part to the past. Glad to see you make a gadget even if it was just a pestle.
Bravo Alex!
wow, Jamie Oliver himself! The pesto legacy rules.
I think I finally figured out why I watch you. It is like, like you make weirdness normal. I mean to say, the joy and the drive you have towards perfection is kooky weird but with food, love of food, we all need that weirdness in us. Food should be a "cherry on top" experience and the way you chase after the 10/10 is what makes watching you enjoyable. You made me stop settling for passable and demand perfection every meal now. Thank you for reminding me what I simply forgot... salute!
This video is so beautifully edited 👌
Typically I can’t stand pesto and I’m wondering if it’s because I have only had the processed, shop-bought version… so I am definitely going to give this a go - thank you.
Try pine nuts on their own. It's possible you are part of the population who, due to a specific gene, can't experience pine nuts the way it's intended. (Though if I understand correctly, this might also depend on the variety of pine nuts.)
yes! that jar pictured is a murder against pesto!
Homemade pesto is a whooole other ballgame. Definitely try it but don't go cheap, buy the real stuff 👍
I don't know what Italian food brands are available in your country, but if there's some then try out "Tigullio Gran Pesto alla genovese" by Star.
I am naming that brand just because it has a lighter basil taste.
Not saying that it is better than a hand made pesto at all, but just my 2 cents for ppl like you. 😉
The jar pesto is like a horrible blended pickle. Actual pesto is more like a creamy airy sweet, basil mayonnaise
Since you made choclate yourself and bought that stonemill for that i wondered if you could make a pesto with that that comes closer to a pesto made with a mortar! please, please try this! would be fantastic for bigger quantities, haha!
Daniel Gritzer on Serious Eats did a few articles on different mortars and pestles as well as Pesto alla Genovese comparing the expensive wood and marble Italian to a Thai one and a food processor.
The daunting thing about it all is that each country's mortar and pestle developed ideally for their own cuisines but the Thai one does a fairly good but more effortful job as the Italian one for pesto.
Last time I checked, the Italian ones are painfully expensive so it's only a Thai one and a molcajete that live at my house.
Yes, that's a great video. I was thinking of that, too. I ended going with the granite mortar as the one closest to being "all purpose," though the optimal pesto would be made in a marble one.
This was great to see, I started growing my own basil this summer and have been trying to refine the pesto process. I've seen the mortar and pestle method, I am going to try that next!
Barilla pesto c’est trop bon! Surtout en fin de soirée ! C’est plus une émotion qu’un plat:)
tu délire ? c'est l'horreur absolue !, il n'y a pas de parmesan ni pecorino, ni meme des pignons !
I only made pesto once and used pestle and mortar. The pesto was good, but then I also read that real mayonnaise was also supposed to be made this way (working until your hands are tied), and that article only mentioned olive oil. All the mayo went in the bin, it was bitter af
That's so interesting, especially considering that Alex mentioned the mayo-like consistency of the pesto. I wonder if industrially produced mayo is just better or if there is something else at play.
@@laserbeampussydestroyer6279 back at that time, I couldn't go online freely, so I didn't know mayo was supposed to be made with neutral oil, maybe with a bit of extra vergine, which, if used alone, gets overworked and becomes bitter by the time your sauce comes together; I heard that from many chefs later on
I made this today for my lunch. I'm blown away by how easy and delicious this is. Thank you Alex for sharing this wisdom.
Le montage est diiiingue ! 😍
Sooo glad you finally learned how to make real pesto. If I may, peccorino is the way to go. Yey to mortar and pestil! Also, authentic pesto from Liguria, has potatoes.
It's a summer and autumnal dish. Enjoy it with white wine.
Italians are geniuses at taking 3 or 4 ingredients at their prime, and through rigorous preparation, they elevate it to fine cuisine. ❤
can i suggest you finishing that wooden bed leg/pestle with an oil or something to lock the surface so it can last? im no expert just a thought!
your production quality is amazing.
Sir, you are one of my favorites... always bright up my day. Seriously
As an Italian who grew up with barilla pesto and still eats it to this day it is the ultimate comfort food. Just don't overcook the pasta but I believe this only applies to people who grew up eating it. Everyone else you're better off making it fresh.
il pesto della barilla non è pesto, non assomiglia al sapore del pesto neanche da distante. Poi il pesto si ossida anche dopo poco e questo ne causa un cambio di sapore non da poco, figuriamoci qualcosa di preparato eoni prima e inscatolato..
No disrespect. but the 1st ingredient in Barilla pesto is sunflower oil, which his sacriliege. Unfortunately, nearly every jarred pesto in stores now contains sunflower oil or canola oil rather than olive oil. But seed oils like sunflower & canola are high in Omega-6 fatty acids, which cause inflammation in the body. Pesto should only contain 5 ingredients: FRESH basil (& I guarantee you Barilla uses dried, you can tell from the color), fresh garlic, parmigiano reggiano (some use Pecorino but I prefer P-R) , pine/pignoli nuts & OLIVE OIL.
Our boy Alex is always extra, so he made his own wooden pestle to make his pesto, which i"m not gonna do. But I have a granite mortar from Mexico & wooden pestle from Thailand that I can use, so I will try making my own pesto. I add pesto in my scrambled eggs 2 or 3 times a week, so I want to see how much better it tastes if I make it in a mortar. But for now, I'll finish the rest of the pesto I have in the fridge, which is head-&-shoulders above regular supermarket fare: Coluccio Basil Pesto Genovese DOP. They leave out the garlic, but I add that myself while I'm making my eggs. You can find it at Super Market Italy.
That’s also why it’s called Pesto! You “mash” it (“pestare” in Italian) with the pestle and make it a paste!
Plus if you want to try the real ligure way to eat it, add boiled potato and long green beans! That’s how they eat it ☺️ (Not in the pesto, but mixed with the pasta con Pesto Genovese obviously 😅)
Keep up the good work! Great videos!
That was awesome. I can literaly smell it. There is so much passion in this video. Thank you for this experience. I enjoyed it so much. Greetings from Germany. 🙂
Alex! Here in colombia we have the Molcajete to make salsas and guacamole! You should visit our cousine someday! Huge fan 🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴
alex is becomming the ulitmate italian level 100 boss
Awesome production!
This is literally the only way it should be eaten, it’s such a HUGE difference in flavor but aroma and texture as well
I love this video so much and now I wanna make it lol
Alex calling it a pestle and mortar instead of a mortar and pestle has no right to stress me out as much as it does
Oh good! 🤣 I thought it was just me. 😂 You’d think it would be six in one hand, half-dozen in the other and not really matter one way or the other. And yet, I twitched involuntarily every single time Alex reversed it. I was going to keep this to myself until you gave me the courage to chime in. Cheers.
Must be a european thing😅
Genuinely shocked you never made pesto in a mortar and pestle. That's like. The first thing you learn. I just checked all of my cookbooks. 75% of them with a pesto recipe say to use a mortar and pestle. Edit: Oh my god don't just use a wood you don't know the provenance of as a cooking material.
that intro with the food processor was so palpitating! Of course your a brilliant chef and personality but your video editing is fantastic!
Felt like the tension could he cut with a butter knife in the room, you said you were fine with the pesto but on the inside you were screaming for something more!
or im just a videography nerd and look too into things xD, still enjoyable!
I took a pesto making class in Manarola and some helpful tips to prevent oxidation: soak basil leaves in ice water for a few mins to reduce oxidation rate of basil and spread the garlic/salt mixture on the RIM of the mortar as well to further reduce oxidation rate of the basil when you dump them in the mortar. I was able to achieve the same bright green color when I made the pesto using those tips.
I'm gonna be honest, it makes me kinda sad that over the years Alex went from just a french guy cooking to a pretentious french guy cooking, nowadays everything is "the only authentic way" and "the best way", it's not about teaching us tips and tricks while delivering a very entertaining video, it is entertainment first and simplicity dead last
I disagree, I think he is shooting for authenticity first. For tips and tricks, you need a different channel. In Italy simple doesn’t always mean quick.
I love watching you learn about iconic dishes from other cultures. Maybe sometime you could do guacamole or tacos from Mexico. I've always thought of avocados as the pâté of the vegetable world.
Pesto is lovely with oven-roasted butternut squash (+ salt + pepper + Parmesan + panko + olive oil) and pasta of your choice.
Thank you for this video. The next time I make pesto pasta, I'm definitely using a mortar and pestle.
Oké that’s really informative and I’m glad to know this now
OMG!!! Alex I’ve been making “pseudo pesto” for years, today I tried it your way, and it was absolutely life changing! My family loved it grazie ❤
Holy hell! I never thought of doing it this way and it really is different with less oil and more punch. Thank you for sharing this method
I remember my father introducing me to pesto as kid. Wasn't really something that was known in the rural hinterlands of Scotland back then. The pesto came in metal squeeze tubes; like those for tomato puree. It was fairly concentrated & you had to let it down with oil. But I was hooked, it was not just handy in the kitchen. The tubes could easily be carried into the hills for great tasting pasta & other dishes on the go. I long ago transitioned to making it fresh where I could, but I still keep a couple of tubes in my cabin & camping gear. A wooden pestle is good for the texture, I have one made from Italian chestnut, though I like my old fashioned one made from elm.
i've really enjoyed this mini Italian pasta series.
Salut Alex! Thanks for sharing, I've never been a fan of pesto, but this recipe/technique could well change that! ❤
almost everything he says in this vidéo is incorrect, his choice of cheese, his method, the pasta he uses, any ligurian would be shocked, please look at some other vidéos, this is THE worst Alex ever made
HI ALex, when you mentioned the recipes on the internet I was astonished that I again experienced something you may have experiened as well. My native language is German and when I search for pesto recipes the first 2 pages of google show a good mixture of pesto recipes with food processors/ hand blenders, when I search the same in English most of the recipes call for a food processor.
Loved the video as always!!! Just know that pesto’s pasta is trofie, typical fresh pasta from Liguria region, absolutely perfect with it
Alex! brilliant video! another step up i’ve found in my pesto is to toast the pine nuts slightly to unlock that aroma. introducing a complimentary green to the basil can also do wonders. i find rocket (arugula) to be the best for a peppery and earthy tone. please give it a go!
6 minutes in and I had to stop to make a comment.
Whaaaaat? It looks like you have your new kitchen studio up and running!!! I am so happy!!!
I dearly hope you will share some of the process of its' completion. (Those round archways were the clue)
I love you Alex. Now let's get back to watching proper pesto :)
This is amazing, chef's kitchen level of production quality
almost everything he says in this vidéo is incorrect, his choice of cheese, his method, the pasta he uses, any ligurian would be shocked, please look at some other vidéos, this is THE worst Alex ever made
Alex !!! I truly understand the difference here.... I had REAL Pesto for the first time in a small town called Levanto, close to the Cinque Terre in Liguria.....there just aren't enough words to relate how different it was from anything I had before.... I eventually learned how to make it from a Ligurian Nonna in exactly the way you showed today, slowly and by hand.... one of the best things ever !!!! Thanks for triggering some great memories ! Cheers !
When I first learned to cook with my mom. My mom was born in Argentina but came from a long line of Sicilians). She was quite stern with me when it came to pesto. She said it must ALWAYS be done with a mortar and pestle. She was quite adamant about that. I mean, the name comes from the Italian verb pestare, “to crush” or “to grind. Something that a food processor does not do - it chops. I am proud to say that I have never done it with a food processor. Thank you Alex!
Alex I cannot tell you how much I love your videos mate. I want to tell you I was in Paris last August for the first time. And I have to tell you the experience was so far beyond what I ever imagined that I fell in love with Paris. I can't wait to go back. By the way being the son of an Italian mother I learned how to make authentic pesto and we would never buy jarred pesto LOL. I cheat and use the food processor. But the mortar and pestle is a massive difference.
congratulations man, your respected the recipe and tasted the gains out of it, i had a similar realizations to yours about pesto 2 years ago, i got hooked on eating it after doing it with a mortar and ate it for weeks, the absolute superior experience is with the mortar however it's not a process for every day, it is a bit time consuming, i dare say pesto for a quick pasta lunch goes in the food processor, the mortar is for the sundays so from my perspective you are spot on :D
i classify pesto from god tier to barely eatable with these rankings
1 mortar pesto
2 food processor pesto
3 store bought fresh pesto, the one preserved in the fridges
4 store bought room temperature "pesto"
I use jar pesto for many simple dishes at home, but if I can get fresh basil at the supermarket I make a traditional fresh pesto and only use it for pasta! There's a world of difference between the two!
I also don't have a food processor, I just use my immersion blender and a deep cup, but I'll have to try the mortar and pestle method some day
Alex, thanks for the video! If you want to achieve the next level, you should go to the Riviera Ligure and buy there some Pesto di Pra. It is THE basil we use in Liguria to make our pesto.
Keep up the good work!
Delightful! My only frustration is that this came out in mid-January and I have a foot of snow here. In the summer, I have several varieties of basil growing in my garden (and soon to add several varieties of garlic as well, good for pesto experimentation).
Hi Alex from France, I am Daniel from Venezuela! Thank you for your awesome videos I really enjoy how scientific you get about the beautiful art of cooking!
What I most admire about your research is that for ages French cuisine underestimated Italian cuisine believing that we only had simple dishes with simple ingredients, whereas the grandeur of many classic French dishes was about complexity and presentation.
It turns out that some of our very simple dishes are actually quite hard to grasp and master. Yes, it's maybe 3 ingredients, and maybe very little cooking. But the painstaking tradition of conserving every little ounce of flavor from what are already spectacular ingredients, that's something you search in every pesto, in every dish your mother ever made, to recreate that point of absolute joy in the final flavor. And not only it's not simple, bu also you don't get it often, also as an Italian researching the very best ingredients. That's why we Italian end up talking always about food, as Italians we have no common food roots: somebody from Liguria does not eat the same stuff than somebody from Venice. And each of our food experience is rich, personal, unknown.
So thanks for showing "simple" dishes in their deep and complex light. And then, of course, we also have complex dishes. Like Panettone, to name one.