Ingredients:

  • 60g Fresh Basil leaves, packed
  • 50g Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated
  • 30g Pecorino Romano, freshly grated
  • 50g Pine nuts, toasted
  • 2 cloves Garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 120ml Extra virgin olive oil
  • 0.5 tsp Sea salt
  • 0.5 tsp Freshly cracked black pepper
  • 450g dried Pasta (Trofie, Fusilli, or Penne)
  • 2 tbsp Sea salt for pasta water

Instructions:

  1. Toast pine nuts. Place 50g pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 3 minutes until golden and fragrant.
  2. Boil water. Fill a large pot with water and 2 tbsp sea salt until it tastes like the ocean.
  3. Prepare basil. Wash and thoroughly dry 60g basil leaves.
  4. Pulse aromatics. Add garlic, toasted pine nuts, and salt to the processor. Pulse until a coarse paste forms.
  5. Add greens. Throw in the basil leaves. Pulse 5-7 times until finely chopped but not yet a liquid.
  6. Stream oil. While the processor is running on low, slowly pour in 120ml EVOO until the mixture looks glossy and unified.
  7. Incorporate cheese. Add 50g Parmigiano and 30g Pecorino. Pulse twice just to combine.
  8. Cook pasta. Drop 450g pasta into the boiling water. Cook 1 minute less than the package instructions for a true al dente bite.
  9. Reserve liquid. Scoop out 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining. This is your emulsification insurance.
  10. Final assembly. In a large bowl, toss the hot pasta with the pesto and 2-4 tbsp of reserved water until the sauce turns velvety and clings to every ridge.