My Mortar and Pestle to Make Pesto Sauce
October 5, 2011 by Anna Merulla / Tags: Carrara , Genoa , Liguria , marble , mortaio , mortar , pestello , pestle , pesto sauce , Tuscany / 2 Comments
Anyway, when I invite friends to have dinner and I want to prepare a traditional pesto sauce, I love to use the traditional mortar and pestle.
Preparing the traditional Genoese pesto sauce with mortar and pestle is not so difficult. To be sure to choose the right mortar and pestle you should just know few things.
The mortar has to be made in marble (in Italy is preferred the marmo di Colonnata, marble of Colonnata). Colonnata is a tiny village just above Carrara in Tuscany (famous for the white or blue-grey marble quarried). Colonnata is a town of 300 inhabitants perched on a rocky spur of marble tucked between the quarries.
Today this town is famous for its “lardo”, a true delicacy of cured pork fat, but once it was the principle source of stone-cutters and miners who have worked to extract marble for hundreds of years.
The Pestle has to be preferably a softwood pestle, such as apple wood, elm wood, etc.. It is not recommended to use a pestle made with olive wood because it is heavier.
Using mortar and pestle produces a pesto sauce that has a more interesting texture than a food processor. I recommend you to try it. The differences are evident.
Furthermore, I love to use my mortar and pestle for everything, such as crushing taggiasche olives for olive pate, crushing spices or nuts for sweet dishes and more!
My husband and I were in beautiful Lucca,Italy & Genoa,Italy two years ago. First time to Europe! We were on a tour when the tour guide told us that the only way to make a good pesto is with the white marble mortar that you use. I love to cook and at one time gave free cooking classes for our 4-H children in Sonoma, California. I am soon to retire from my job and would like to do cooking with children again. I feel teaching ways of cooking from other countries would be great for the children and maybe get them to want to visit these countries when they are older! We were on a cruise, so we were in ports only one day. I was not able to buy a mortar like this before we left…I really would like to purchase one, but I want it to be the same one that you use. Can you e-mail me where I can purchase one? Web-site, store,etc. I leave in the USA. I am so glad I came across your web-site….Want to go back to Italy..hope to be able to get to visit Liguria ! Thank You…
Hello Sheri, I’ll check if the small shop where I have bought the mortar has a website or email. I’ll send you a private email. Ciao! ps. yours is a great idea to deal with children and teach them ways of cooking!