trofie pasta

A simple, classic Italian Basil pesto recipe with pine nuts. It comes together quickly in the food processor or blender. Make sure to read the helpful tips to prevent oxidation! Recipe adapted (with changes) from Liguria by Laurel Evans.

Classic Italian Basil Pesto (Pesto alla Genovese)

garlic clove,

pine nuts

olive oil, divided, plus more as needed

Parmesan cheese

tbsp. (packed) grated Pecorino cheese

fine sea salt

For the basil: choose small, baby basil leaves

For the olive oil:

Blend the pesto

Add the garlic, pine nuts and 2 tbsp. of oil to the food processor. Pulse a few times until minced. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the basil leaves and another 2 tbsp. of oil. Pulse until finely chopped. Add the cheeses.

With the machine running, slowly stream in the rest of the olive oil and blend until creamy. Scrape the pesto into a bowl.

Taste, and adjust seasoning with salt (if needed). Stir in more olive oil to loosen the texture (if needed). It shouldn’t look like a thick glob.  

To store: transfer pesto to a small jar. Top with a layer of olive oil to prevent browning. Refrigerate until ready to use. It should last up to 1 week.

We grow our own basil and garlic and look forward to making pesto every year.  We use the small glass baby food storage containers with the airtight snap lids to freeze our pesto, this works well to keep it fresh and from browning, and means we can use these small portions easily.  We also make zhoug with cilantro we grow and do the same thing (because it too will turn brown quickly)

I always wondered how to keep it from turning brown. I tried sprinkling a little white wine vinegar which seems to help. I like the idea from Catmum's comment, putting in baby jars! Looking forward to trying this method.

Love it, I freeze some in ice cube trays, with out the cheese, use in I  pot roast and other dishes.  If I'm going to use it with pasta I then add the cheese.

thank you, wonderful tips, I have a recipe that I like but never chilled my olive oil or used small Genovese basil leaves, so definitely worth trying, much appreciated!

Trofie are a traditional pasta shape hailing from the comune of Sori on Italy’s Golfo Paradiso (Gulf of Paradise), in the western region of Liguria. Despite the close proximity of Sori to the west coast’s port city of Genova, trofie were not commonly found in Genova until the mid-20th century. The word trofie, pronounced trof·ee·eh, comes from the Ligurian word strufuggiâ, meaning ‘to rub’, which is a reference to how the dough is prepared. Trofie get their unique, twisted shape by rolling and rubbing on a wooden board.

How to Make Fresh Trofie

semolina flour or durum wheat flour

milliliters water

salt

On a clean marble or wooden work surface, pile your flour and pinch of salt into a mound.

Make a well in the centre of the mound large enough to contain the water.

Gradually add the flour to the water, slowly incorporating the flour from the sides of the well. As the mixture thickens, start using your hands with a scraper to continue incorporating the flour.

Clean the work surface of any excess flour or dough bits that never incorporated. Then lightly flour your clean work surface.

Knead the dough by pressing the heel of one hand into the ball, keeping your fingers high.

Press down on the dough while pushing it firmly away from you. The dough should stretch and roll under your hand to create a shell-like shape.

Turn the dough over, then press into the dough with your knuckles, one hand at a time. Continue kneading for about 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and springy to the touch.

Place the dough in a small bowl and cover with a tea towel or cling film.

Let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes at room temperature.

Divide your dough in half and cover one half so that it doesn't dry out. Cut a section from the remaining dough and roll it into a thin sausage shape, approximately 5mm thick. 

Cut the dough sausage into 2-3cm pieces. Then, take each piece and, using your palm, quickly roll it away from you diagonally on a wooden board.

The trofie should start at the centre of your palm and get rolled to the outside of your palm. This motion will create a delicate spiral in the pasta. If you are having difficulty with this motion, you can also roll the pasta down the base of your palm to your fingertips.

Repeat this until all of your dough is used up.

When you've finished shaping all of your trofie, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cook your pasta in the water for 3-4 minutes.

Serve with a sauce of your choice. We recommend a delicious salsa di noci, or walnut pesto.

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Top 2 trofie pasta recipes from across the web

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Classic Italian Basil Pesto (Pesto ...

How to Make Fresh Trofie

The most viewed trofie pasta recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine