Championship Gadgets

Pesto

The Pestles

The official gadget of the 11th Pesto Championship

They are called “I Pestelli”, the most Genoese gadget imaginable: small savoury pesto biscuits, kneaded and shaped strictly by hand, one by one. An artisanal delight scented with basil which, at the first bite, slips a piece of Liguria into your pocket—even when the sea is far away.

Made with traditional and ancient grain flour, Parmigiano Reggiano, butter, and salt, I Pestelli contain within them Genoese Pesto, prepared with ingredients that speak for themselves: extra virgin olive oil, Genoese Basil DOP, Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, Fiore Sardo DOP, Italian pine nuts, Vessalico garlic, and Trapani sea salt IGP.

With that hint of Ligurian irony, I Pestelli do what Genoa does best: they don’t ask for attention, yet they get it. And when you finish them—because you do finish them—you realise that the city can follow you farther than you thought. Even inside a biscuit.

Past Gadgets

At every edition of the Championship, the Cultural Association Palatifini offers contestants and supporters a souvenir gadget. Among the historic ones: “The Magic Formula of Pesto”, “Pills to Understand Genoa”, “The Air of Genoa”, “Sparkling Genoa”, “Pesto Game”, the Basil Pencil, the “Special Glasses”, the “Mortar Hat”, the “Squeeze of Genoa”, and the “Travel Greenhouse”.

“I Pestelli” are number 11!