Pesto Cooking Class at Villa in Santa Margherita Ligure

About this tour

Learn to pound Genovese pesto the traditional way at Villa San Giacomo, a historic property perched above the Ligurian coast near Santa Margherita Ligure. Over two hours, a local cook guides you through selecting basil, garlic, pine nuts and cheese, then teaches the proper technique with mortar and pestle. You'll finish by eating your creation—fresh pesto coating trofie pasta—whilst gazing at the Gulf, with a glass of regional wine in hand.

Highlights

• Master pesto using mortar and pestle, not a food processor
• Cook alongside a local home chef in a villa with Gulf views
• Taste your finished pesto dressed on warm trofie pasta
• Local Ligurian wine included with your meal
• Two-hour class near Portofino and Cinque Terre

What to expect

Arrive at the villa and you'll be shown how to select and prepare each ingredient—the basil quality matters. Your instructor demonstrates the correct grinding motion, then hands you the mortar. It's slower than you'd expect, rhythmic, and the aroma builds as you work. Once your pesto reaches the right consistency, pasta is brought to the table. You'll plate up, taste immediately, and realise why locals insist this method produces something a blender simply cannot. Expect to get your hands sticky and your palate very happy.

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