Pesto comes in a variety of recipes, some traditional and some modern, as the very noun pesto is a generic term for anything that is made by pounding. [15] The original pesto alla genovese is made with Genovese basil, coarse salt, garlic, Ligurian extra virgin olive oil (Taggiasco), European pine nuts (sometimes toasted), and a grated cheese such as Parmesan or Grana Padano and pecorino sardo or pecorino romano. [13] A proposal is under preparation by the Palatifini Association to have pesto ... Pesto alla Genovese is a traditional Italian basil sauce from Liguria, especially Genoa. It’s made with fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan and Pecorino cheese. Bright, herbaceous, and delicious, my recipe makes for a lovely Pesto Pasta with a homemade Pesto Sauce made from scratch. My recipe is also vegetarian and can be easily made into a plant based one. Pesto Sauce is a classic Italian sauce made with fresh basil leaves, garlic, parmesan cheese, olive oil and pine nuts blended together to a coarse sauce consistency.