Search

Home < Recipes < Italian Tradition < Grilled Lemon, Basil, Almond and Grana Padano PDO Pesto

like_thumbLike
heart_likeLiked by 43

Share

  • fb
  • print
  • twitter

    Grilled Lemon, Basil, Almond and Grana Padano PDO Pesto
    Difficulty

    Group 393

    Medium
    		Preparation

    T2

    30 min.
    		Servings for

    Group 382

    4 people
    gp2500x2500 1024x1024

    Chef Danilo Cortellini

    We cannot call ourselves Italian-food lovers if we don’t know pesto right?  Well, this time I invite you to look a little further away from the world wide famous classic pesto and try something different, something refreshing that will totally surprise you.
    Try this grilled lemon pesto with Grana Padano PDO and you will be in for a real surprise. Make sure to get your hands on good quality unwaxed lemon with edible skin and char them either on a grill, pan or bbq (works in the oven too). The slow caramelization mellow the acidity of the pulp and provides a burst of smoky flavour while the lighter aromatic compounds of the zests are extracted before.
    I will go as far as saying this pesto can be a great accompaniment sauce even for a classic BBQ with friends, to dress fish or even salads. Please give it a go!

    Ingredients

    400 gr of pasta of your choice
    2 lemons, unwaxed
    40 gr of basil leaves
    60 ml of extra virgin olive oil
    30/40 gr of grated Grana Padano PDO (plus extra to sprinkle)
    12 gr of peeled almonds (not toasted)
    ½ garlic clove
    Salt and pepper to taste

    Pasta

    Preparation

    STEP 1

    Wash the lemons and peel the zests. Add the zest to a food processor and if the lemon have leaves keep them safe, they are a great addition to flavour the pasta water.

    STEP 2

    Cut the lemon in halves and char them on a bbq starting face down. Do this with care low and slow for a proper caramelization and turn them on all sides. It should take about 10 minutes to get an even colour. Please note, for this recipe, I used the pulp of 1 lemon only but you can turn up or down the level of sharpness of your pesto by adding more or less of it.

    STEP 3

    Now add to the blender the lemon pulp, the rinsed and dried basil leaves, almonds, garlic and Grana Padano. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, add the olive oil and blitz until you have a grainy sauce. Keep the pesto refrigerated for about 3 days.

    STEP 4

    Cook the pasta in salted boiling water and then toss it away from the heat with the pesto. Do not simmer the pesto or you will lose part of its freshness and aromatics. Serve straight away, sprinkle with more Grana Padano PDO and garnish with a few basil leaves.

    Chef’s tip


    If you can, use 16 months old Grana Padano or younger, the lighter textures and can give you a ‘creamier’ pesto compared to a crumblier aged version.

    Related recipes

    GP_Banner web 395x395 1next
    Difficulty

    Medium

    		 Preparation

    2 h

    		 Servings for

    4 people

    Beef Tartar with pumpkin, coffee, Grana Padano and hazelnuts
    GP_Pasta e fagioli pnext
    Difficulty

    Medium

    		 Preparation

    45 min

    		 Servings for

    4 people

    Beans & roasted chestnut soup with Grana Padano rinds
    GP_RICETTA_Previewnext
    Difficulty

    Easy

    		 Preparation

    20 min

    		 Servings for

    4 people

    Bruschetta with figs, basil pesto and Grana Padano
    Agnolotti cacio e pepe al Grana Padano pnext
    Difficulty

    Difficult

    		 Preparation

    80 min

    		 Servings for

    4 people

    Grana Padano PDO cheese agnolotti “cacio e pepe”

    Discover more about Grana Padano

    GP_Prodotto iconico_2026next


    An iconic product
    GP_La DOP_2026next


    The PDO
    GP_Curiosita sul prodotto_2026next


    Fun Facts
    GP_I consorziati_2026next


    The consortium members