Make Ligurian Focaccia and Classic Walnut Sauce

I deeply love working with the mortar, an ancient tool that, to me, represents the very soul of traditional cooking. In particular, I enjoy preparing authentic Genovese pesto, starting with the harvesting of fresh basil from the small garden near my home. It’s a moment that reconnects me with nature and with the simple, timeless gestures of the past. After carefully selecting the most fragrant leaves, I move on to the mortar, combining them with the other classic ingredients: pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and a pinch of salt. It’s a slow, almost meditative process that releases all the aroma of the basil and transforms the ingredients into a velvety, intensely fragrant cream.