The northern coastal region Liguria is especially celebrated for its light, herb-heavy dishes. One of our favorite regional dishes is the famed trofie al pesto: pesto pasta.
Pesto is derived from the Italian verb pestare, to grind or crush. Created in the port city Genova, true pesto genovese is comprised of freshly-ground, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts, sea salt, and garlic. Many varieties also include Parmigiano Reggiano (because you can never go wrong by adding cheese).