Gnocchi with Pesto alla Genovese
In Genoa, the birthplace of basil pesto, we learned that great pesto is a thick, creamy harmony of good-quality ingredients. And each should be treated separately.
- Makes4 to 6 servings
- Cook Time30 minutes
- 2
We were taught to make pesto alla Genovese in its birthplace—Genoa, Italy, by chef Roberto Panizza. It traditionally is made in a mortar and pestle; we use a food processor for convenience but follow the tradition of processing ingredients separately to ensure we preserve the appropriate texture of each. Seek out true Italian Parmesan cheese, as well as pecorino Sardo, a sheep’s milk cheese from Sardinia. If you can’t find pecorino Sardo, the best substitute is manchego, a Spanish sheep’s milk cheese. We’ve paired the pesto with gnocchi, a classic combination; either potato gnocchi, “instant” gnocchi made with potato flakes, gnocchi di farina or even store-bought gnocchi will do well, but the gnocchi must be just-cooked and warm because it will not be heated during the saucing process. If pasta is your preference, the recipe makes enough pesto to sauce 12 ounces of uncooked pasta. Be sure to reserve some of the starchy cooking water before draining, and add just enough of it while tossing the pesto and pasta so the noodles are nicely sauced.
Don't toast the pine nuts. In Italy, the pine nuts for pesto are used raw. Don't be tempted to add all the ingredients at once to the food processor. Adding them in stages ensures the pesto has the correct consistency and texture, and that it won't end up thin and watery, the result of overprocessing.
Step 1
In a food processor, process both cheeses until broken into rough marble-sized pieces, about 10 seconds, then pulse until they have the texture of coarse sand, 5 to 10 pulses, scraping the bowl as needed. Transfer to a small bowl.
Step 2
In the food processor, combine the pine nuts, garlic and ¼ teaspoon salt. Process until a smooth, peanut butter–like paste forms, about 1 minute, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the cheeses and about ½ of the oil; process until mostly smooth, 10 to 20 seconds, scraping the bowl as needed; the mixture should hold together when pressed against the bowl with a silicone spatula.
Step 3
Using a chef's knife, roughly chop the basil, then add to the processor. Pulse about 10 times, scraping the bowl several times, until the basil is finely chopped and well combined with the cheese mixture. Add the remaining oil and pulse just until incorporated, about 2 pulses. The pesto should be thick, creamy and spreadable.
Step 4
Cook and drain the gnocchi according to your recipe or the package instructions, reserving about ¾ cup of the cooking water. (If using one of our recipes for homemade gnocchi, do not allow the drained gnocchi to fully cool before saucing, as they will not be reheated in the pesto.) Return the gnocchi to the pot. Add the pesto and ¼ cup of the reserved cooking water. Gently stir until the pesto coats the gnocchi, adding more reserved water if needed. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
