In addition to Pesto Genovese, another classic condiment of traditional Ligurian cuisine :

la sarsa de noixe, or walnut sauce.

As you know, last spring walnut sauce “blew” Pesto Genovese’s recognition by UNESCO as an intangible heritage of humanity.

This delicious preparation consists of a mild-tasting cream that normally accompanies Ligurian pansoti, pasta stuffed with chard, eggs and ricotta cheese.

Ligurian walnut sauce has very ancient origins.

Presumably it was at the time of the Republic that the Genoese learned about and imported from ancient Persia walnuts and a recipe for a sauce similar to our current walnut sauce.

Characterized by its light color and creamy texture, it has a sweet flavor in which the taste of walnuts, marjoram and garlic (possibly from Vessalico) is clearly recognizable.

The delicious walnut sauce is ideal as a dressing for typical Ligurian pasta shapes,

such as pansoti, gnocchi and corzetti.

The main ingredient is, of course, walnuts, which must be removed from their shells and soaked so that the bitter film covering them can be more easily removed. It must be said that some of that delicately bitter taste is a hallmark of this special condiment.

Once the walnuts are stripped of their skins, they should then be placed in the mortar with the Vessalico garlic, milk-soaked breadcrumbs, salt, and marjoram, pounding everything until a smooth cream is obtained.

Did you know that we also, in our Frasca e Nassa Laboratory in Loano, produce small quantities of sarsa de noixe?

Our delicate Ligurian walnut sauce is available for purchase only from our workshop,

So it is not available in our ecommerce.

If you are passing through Loano, visit us at Corso Europa 14E and also try our walnut sauce. You will fall in love with it!

If, on the other hand, you would like to purchase our Fresh Genoese Pesto, you can do so from the comfort of your own home by going to our website at www.pestofresco.eu

See you soon friends!