Ingredients:

  • 2 cloves (6g) garlic, peeled
  • 1 tsp (5g) coarse sea salt
  • 3 tbsp (45g) pine nuts, lightly toasted
  • 2 cups (50g) fresh basil leaves, packed and washed dry
  • ½ cup (50g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
  • ⅓ cup (80ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions:

  1. Place the peeled garlic cloves and coarse salt into the mortar. Use a firm pressing and rotating motion to crush the garlic into a smooth, uniform paste.
  2. Add the toasted pine nuts to the garlic paste. Pound them until they are broken down into a grainy consistency, then use the rotating motion to blend them into the garlic.
  3. Add the fresh basil leaves a handful at a time. Use a circular grinding motion against the sides of the marble to bruise the leaves and release essential oils.
  4. Stir in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil while stirring with the pestle until the sauce reaches a glossy, velvety consistency.