Rome Cooking Classes: Growing Basil, Pesto Tips and Guido's Family Pesto Recipe

Thursday, 20 August 2026

Growing Basil, Pesto Tips and Guido's Family Pesto Recipe

Basilico (the herb, basil) is in season and as my grandmother and mother come from Genova, the birthplace of pesto, I love to include making this delicious sauce in our cooking class menu.

I would like to share some tips for growing basilico (basil) and for making a great pesto sauce. Finally I would like to give you my own family recipe for pesto. Enjoy!

Growing Basil: Basil enjoys a mediterranean climate, and although it likes the warm Italian summers, it needs a lot of shade and enjoys being watered regularly. I grow basil from seedlings and in pots, so I can move the plants into the shade when needed. It is important to pinch or cut off the buds to prevent premature flowering and this encourages a more lush growth. Good rich soil helps. The smell of fresh basil reminds of Summertimes spent with my nonna.

Tips on using fresh basil

1/ To clean: Never fully wash basil leaves, only wipe them with a clean cloth (this helps the basil stay fresh, green and dry)

2/ When using a mortar and pestle to grind the ingredients, always use a stone or marble mortar and a wooden pestle. as this brings out the best flavour! (Never stone with stone or wood with wood)

3/When you have placed the ingredients, including the basil leaves in the mortar, add a pinch of sale grosso (chunky rock sea salt) before you start to grind (and also another pinch as you continue). This will help you grind the leaves more easily and keep the colour of the basil leaves light (because of the natural sodium in the salt)

4/If you use a blender instead of a mortar and pestle to grind the basil leaves, put the metal blade in the freezer before you use it. This will help stop the leaves browning in the process.

Guido's Pesto Sauce Recipe

Ingredients: 1 large bunch of fresh basil leaves, 1/3 of a clove of garlic, handful of pine-nuts, 60 g of Grana Padano cheese, extra virgin olive oil, pinch of salt.

Method: (using a blender): To prepare pesto, put basil leaves, pine-nuts, Grana Padano and Pecorino cheese, 1/3 of a clove of garlic and a pinch of salt into the blender with a little extra virgin olive oil. Blend until smooth (or chunky, if preferred), then add more olive oil.

Pesto is very versatile as it is not only tasty with gnocchi or pasta, it is also often eaten in Italy with fish dishes or as a dip!