How to Make Pesto with Massimo Bottura, Chef of the #1 Ranked Restaurant in the World

Massimo Bottura, the Italian restaurateur and chef-owner of three-Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana, knows a thing or two about homemade pesto. His restaurant just won #1 in the world on the prestigious Top 50 list.

Using a recipe from his cookbook, Bread Is Gold, Bottura loses the traditional pine nuts and uses breadcrumbs instead. The final product is a fresh and original pesto pasta dish from one of the best chefs in the world that's still simple enough to make at home.

Follow Munchies here:

[nnamdiodiaka]

"Do you eat pasta al dente or overcooked?"

Massimo serving up 3 stars of shade too

[tenou]

The number of Italians who have no idea Massimo's entire career involves flouting traditional Italian cooking is way too high. Osteria Francescana was the redheaded stepchild of Italian cuisine for years and on the verge of bankruptcy before people actually tried it.

He's number one because he does his own thing at an incredibly high standard. And also because the mad lad made a dish out of a dropped tart.

[Ultramagnetic]

"There's breadcrumbs. You either eat it, or you go to bed." is probably the most Italian thing ever.

[RaedVS]

Kind of warming to know that someone who's considered to be the best chef in world like him, doesn't let go of his humble roots and applies that in his own innovation..

[MarkSkids]

I can't wait for the comments about this recipe being wrong or bad, considering that he is an Italian, has the best voted restaurant in the world, he himself has been voted best chef in the world 3 michelin stars and was one of the people responsible for stopping Parmesan cheese from possibly not existing. All the little keyboard chefs will come pouring out of the woodwork soon.

[floriansee]

To all the haters...
Yes its not original pesto
Yes he prepares it in a mixer
Yes he uses breadcrumbs instead of nuts... why?

He shows people (who don't have a lot of experience or equipment, tiny kitchen etc.) a super easy well crafted recipe that uses old food that would normally go to waste. He is an amzing chef not just bc he cooks well... also because he looks at sustainabilty. Watch the first episode of Chef's Table S1. He is awesome (Italian Jeff Goldblum)

[sheadong]

I love Massimo! His Chef's Table episode was one of the best!

[Davidwood]

"how did they get massimo"

he's got a book to sell.

[Goianoesmeraldino]

Massimo is 100% good food and 0% bulshit. Always happy and straight to the point.

[jdcooks]

Munchies got Mossimo?! Looks like they are stepping up their game over there.

[nitrog]

Well, I guess he never specified that he would be making a classic pesto Genovese, so there's no reason to fault his recipe without even trying it. I recall reading a piece about pesto in which this old school Italian chef in Genoa said, "pesto is the way you make pesto". Basically, he didn't care about purism. Before the automobile and produce deliveries, pesto was made with what you had, and that wasn't always basil, pine nuts, and parmigiano-reggiano.

[FishNinjaY]

01:52 love that he tastes the pesto with his finger, then promptly seasons it with his same fingers sprinkling salt.. exactly how I cook. (and everyone else too, that's not "on TV")

[giulias.]

That's the genuine and best part of Italians' character. Not so often embodied it.
Grande Massimo! 💚 ❤

[BottoEntertainment]

It's so good that the guy at 3:16 threw his head back in joy before he even tasted it!

[camtron]

3:18 One of my pet peeves with these cooking shows is when people try the food and instantly react before they can even taste anything.

[xeropunt]

1:09 🌿the herb is cress/watercress!

crescione d'acqua or pepe d’acqua ('water pepper')

[katiealways]

3:17 that man was gonna say he loves it no matter how it would taste lmao

[realitycheck]

I think he explains in the book that this is a "poor man's pesto" that you would make if you don't have enough basil. You can use other kinds of vegetables to stretch out the sauce.

[faacuuhaaruu]

This is not the pesto genoves my grandma taught me to do, but it still is pesto and nobody here can argue with that. Well crafted gourmet original one and I respect it and will try it out, Im sure it tastes delicious.

[HDB]

How to make pesto.
1. Cut the lawn.
2. Add olive oil and garlic to the grass collection box on the back of the mower and mix well.
3. Serve