Basil is the main ingredient in Genoese Pesto and its royalty is already evident in its name: it derives from the Greek “basilikos”, or “herb worthy of a king”, as the philosopher and botanist Theophrastus pointed out in the 3rd century BC. Its geographical origins lie far away, in the Indian peninsula and tropical Asia. It was not until the reign of Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC that the plant crossed the borders of the Middle East and reached Europe.
Today basil is recognised as one of the typical ingredients of Italian and Genovese cuisine, but its historical beginnings were not as a foodstuff: in fact in various parts of Asia, as well as in the Mediterranean, it spread first as an ornamental element, and then as a plant with great medicinal properties.
From Egypt to ancient Rome, via Greece
Basil was already known as a medicine in ancient Egypt: traces of it have been found in several tombs and, according to some historians, it was attributed with antibacterial and preservative properties and was therefore used in the mummification process.
The Hindus used to place a basil leaf on the chest of the deceased to ensure immortality. The Gauls also considered basil to be a sacred plant and in order to become a ‘collector’ of the plant, one had to undergo a purification ritual.
For the ancient Greeks, basil had a negative aura, as it was considered a symbol of mourning, while the Romans believed it was a magical plant, sacred to Venus, and should only be harvested after specific rituals.
Other evidence, however, shows that basil was also finding its way into ‘the kitchen’ in ancient Rome: Apicius, a Roman writer and amateur cook, mentioned it in some of his works as one of the most frequently used ingredients in his recipes. Pliny the Elder, on the other hand, claimed that its leaves, if well cooked, could be used as a powerful aphrodisiac elixir.
After the Middle Ages it moved into the kitchen
This brings us to the Middle Ages, when basil played a leading role in the rudimentary medicine of the time, treated as a miraculous ointment to cure and dress wounds, especially during plague epidemics. It also found a place among the ‘concoctions’ used in exorcisms.
But from 1400 onwards, basil disappeared completely from the historical radar, only to reappear in the 18th century, when it was found among the ingredients of dishes in some Italian recipe books. From then on, its rise in Italian gastronomy was unstoppable: how could one imagine Italian cuisine today without the unique flavour and aroma of basil?
On the herbalist’s shelf
As well as having a ‘remarkable’ past both as a plant and as a foodstuff, basil also enjoyed (and still enjoys) an excellent reputation in herbal medicine for the therapeutic properties of its essential oil, which is rich in estragole, linalool and camphor. Basil is also a good natural diuretic, an anti-inflammatory and has good antispasmodic properties.
In addition, if you grow a pot on your balcony or window, it can be used as an excellent repellent against mosquito or other insect bites: just break off a few fresh leaves and apply them directly to the sore spot.
The king of Italian cuisine and… Genoese
However, we must not forget the starting point: basil is above all a versatile and valuable culinary ingredient and has found its greatest expression in Italy. In fact in our country it is used in many different varieties (there are about a hundred in the world), which have very different characteristics and flavours and lend themselves to different types of preparation, from salads to savoury recipes and even desserts.
There are two of the most popular varieties. The first, that of the common Italian basil, is used to prepare some of the most typical dishes of the national cuisine, such as spaghetti with tomato and basil and the Caprese salad. The second, of a ‘sweeter’ variety, is that of Genovese basil PDO, or, as mentioned above, the ‘king’ of ingredients in Pesto alla Genovese.
And finally, a small curiosity from Liguria: the production of Genoese basil PDO represents about 8% of the global basil market in Italy, with more than 1 million bunches produced each year exclusively for end consumers.
