Genoa Pesto World Championship

In late March, Italy holds the World Pesto championship. Naturally, it is held in Genoa. After all, the favorite sauce of many countries was born in the 19th century in the capital of Liguria, Genoa.

Ligurians add this sauce to all the dishes. They are very proud it and consider it a real national treasure. Pesto Genovese deserves it.

The competition is held in Palazzo Ducale, where each of the 100 participants is given 40 minutes to prepare their own pesto. The contest involves amateurs and top class chefs.

According to the contest rules, the sauce (Pesto alla Genovese) should be prepared in the traditional way: the ingredients can be pound only in a marble mortar with a wooden pestle. You can only take the highest quality products: basil, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, pine nuts, pecorino cheese, and Parmesan.
The prize is an olive wood pestle with a gold tip.

Special menus are offered to visitors who would like to enjoy pesto with different dishes in the local restaurants.

Last year, for example, one of the restaurants offer three-course menu, where as an appetizer was focaccia with pesto, main dish – pasta with pesto, green peas and potatoes, and for dessert, Panna Cotta with raspberry sauce and basil.