Nancy Silverton’s Fresh Basil Pesto

A revolution in mixing has landed. Shop Halo Pro Spiral Mixer now.
The Next Generation of Pizza Ovens is Here – Meet the Koda 2 Range.
Free 5 Year Warranty Guarantee. Register Your Products Here.
Nancy Silverton is often a proponent of doing things the traditional way. This is especially true when it comes to Italian cooking, which makes sense given her role in several world-renowned Italian restaurants and pizzerias, including chi SPACCA and Pizzeria Mozza, respectively.
It might seem strange, then, that her pesto recipe uses a food processor. While she’ll argue that a mortar and pestle is the best way to make pesto, she also concedes that “When I make pesto, it’s usually because I’m in Italy in the summer where it gets light at five, dark at ten, and I have all the time in the world.”
If you don’t have all the time in the world, simply follow Nancy’s instructions. Using your food processor yields a balanced pesto that’s great on sandwiches, pasta and pizza. And remember: the key to a good pesto is high-quality olive oil and fresh basil, along with a keen eye for when it’s done. While the smoothness of your pesto is largely to your preference, do keep in mind that running the machine for too long can heat the garlic and give your pesto a not-so-pleasant acrid taste.
If you do ever find yourself with all the time in the world, you’ve got Nancy’s approval to break out the mortar and pestle.
355 ml
30 minutes
8-10 minutes
By Nancy Silverton
Nancy Silverton
Eight-time cookbook author, chef, artisanal bread maker and co-owner of Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, as well as Pizzette, Osteria Mozza, Mozza2Go and chi SPACCA, Nancy Silverton has long been an innovative, influential and creative powerhouse. Among her many (many) accolades, in 2014 the James Beard Foundation awarded her with the title of Outstanding Chef in America. You can follow her @nancysilverton.
Join our mailing list for an exclusive discount, plus mouthwatering recipes, pizza-making tips, and updates on our products. Unsubscribe anytime — no hard feelings.
*Valid for 30 days on orders over $200 on https://au.ooni.com/ (not valid with retailers). First time subscribers only. Single use and non-transferable. Excludes bundles, Ooni Halo Pro, Ooni Koda 2, Ooni Koda 2 Pro, Ooni Koda 2 Max and gift cards. Cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts. By submitting this form you consent to receive marketing emails and to Ooni processing of your data. Your data is safe with us, see our Privacy Terms.
Back to top
Back to top
Pay Securely With