Genoese pesto: At Mondo Caccia and Mondo Pesca, Salons of sustainable hunting and amateur, sporting and professional fishing, Liguria with the Teatro dell'Acqua told the magic of Genoese pesto.
It is always good but not all the same: Genoese pesto can be lighter or darker, stronger or with a less decisive taste, it depends on the hand and the wisdom with which the ingredients are dosed, few, simple and, of course, very tasty . Dante Bertoli and Fidelmo Franceschetti, the two Ligurian restaurant chefs, gave a good demonstration of this during the workshops "from basil to pesto" organized by ARCI Liguria which, with the Water Theater, at CarraraFiere from Friday 21 November to Sunday 23 , proposed the best of the products that make up the "Sea" supply chain in a large area where the typical dishes of Liguria were presented, with the aim of promoting an ancient and rooted culture of a land that has linked its sustainable development to the products of its territory.
Thus, in front of an audience of curious and gluttonous, the two pesto wizards challenged each other by dosing pine nuts, Ligurian oil, garlic, cheese and basil leaves rigorously chopped with their hands. And then everything must be poured into marble mortars where, with wooden pestles, these simple but precious natural ingredients are chopped and blended. Dante did not add salt, he used a little garlic and added the cheese only at the end, giving life to a darker and more delicate cream than that of Fidelmo, a little lighter but with a stronger taste. In both cases, the flavor was exceptional and above all it recalled in an instant a land with its colors and scents.
This is the condiment that has made Genoa and Liguria famous all over the world, an ingredient that has now become a heritage of all for its ability to make pasta tasty but also for being able to accompany fish dishes particularly appreciated, for those who love experimentation, paired with stockfish and cod.
Carrara, November 23, 2014