Authentic Italian Pesto Recipe from The Prince of Venice

Ever since I returned from Italy last month, I’ve been inspired to add more variety to my weekly menus. The impetus comes largely from seeing how simply yet deliciously they eat in Italy. Dining there really drove home for me the idea that interesting, nutritious meals don’t need to be complicated, expensive, or time-consuming to prepare. On the contrary, in fact, it’s usually the dishes that come together quickly with only a few ingredients that satisfy the most!

My ongoing commitment to more mealtime variety also helps with the inevitable post-vacation pasta cravings that pop up—not only in my kitchen but in my efforts to sample more of LA’s great Italian food offerings (turns out we have a ton!). So when I heard about a new food truck that makes its own pasta on site (!), I canceled my existing plans and stalked the truck to its curbside location that very night. The Prince of Venice serves up the best, most authentic pasta I’ve had outside of Italy, with the added bonus that it’s owned by a very suave and stylish Venetian prince! I was mesmerized by watching through the truck’s window as the fresh pasta was cut, shaped, and cooked up in a matter of minutes, and I nearly swooned when I got my first taste of their pesto. I begged them for the recipe, and they’ve generously shared it with me so I can pass it on to you!

Without a doubt, this pesto recipe from The Prince of Venice is the real deal. It’s very similar to pesto I ate in Liguria, the dish’s region of origin, where it’s traditionally made with little to no garlic. It makes for quite a contrast to the pesto we’re accustomed to here in the States, which usually has a pretty garlicky punch. Instead, the focus is on bright basil, earthy nuts, and most importantly, lots of cheese! Yup, the cheese is the star here, melting when it’s added to hot pasta for a gooey, creamy effect that will have you rethinking pesto’s place on the indulgence scale. Since there are so few components to this recipe, definitely get your hands on the best quality you can find: just-picked basil, imported cheese, market-fresh pasta. The recipe produces a large quantity and it keeps well—for an instant Italian vacation any time you open the fridge!

Basil Pesto Sauce
recipe courtesy of The Price of Venice
1/3 pound fresh basil
2 cups Parmesan cheese
2 cups pecorino cheese
2 cups olive oil
1 cup raw almonds
1 clove garlic
1 tsp salt
pasta of choice, ideally small shapes with wrinkles or ridges to hold the maximum amount of sauce!

Pulse garlic, almonds, and oil in a blender until smooth.  Add remaining of ingredients and continue pulsing until combined. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and toss each serving of noodles with about 2 tablespoons sauce. Or, since we can’t eat like we’re on vacation all the time, try it on spiralized zucchini for equally scrumptious results! Extra sauce keeps up to a week in the fridge for use on sandwiches, meats, and more.