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From Our Own Correspondent: Pesto Made Perfectly

14/04/2016 GMT

BBC World Service - The Essential, From Our Own Correspondent: Pesto Made Perfectly

One man's work to revive the traditional method for a sauce which has won the world over

A basil bombshell: many Italians now make pesto sauce in a blender, not by hand - and outside Italy it might not even contain basil at all. But one man's working to change that.

Dany Mitzman reveals one man's work to revive the traditional method of making pesto - the garlicky, basil-based sauce which is now eaten around the world. In former times it was pounded in a pestle and mortar, but many Italians now make it in a blender - while some "pesto" sold outside Italy doesn't even contain any basil at all! But Roberto Panizza is bringing back the handmade product, and inviting contestants from around the world to Genoa for a competition this weekend, to see if they can do any better. 

Photo: Pesto as it should be - photographed by Dany Mitzman

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