Proper Pesto Recipe

Crush garlic and pinch of kosher salt in a mortar with the pestle until garlic is mashed and paste-like 1 or 2 minutes. Add basil in 3 or 4 additions crushing and pounding down the leaves until they form a fairly fine paste about 8 minutes or more depending on size of leaves and thickness of stems. Add and pound in pine nuts.

Transfer a handful of grated cheese to mortar and pound into the sauce. Add another handful of cheese and incorporate into the mixture. Continue adding cheese a handful at a time until completely incorporated about 5 minutes.

Drizzle in olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time pounding it into the sauce. When all the olive oil has been added and emulsified into the mixture transfer pesto to a bowl and drizzle surface with olive oil.