Genoese Basil DOP

The Genovese basil variety is exclusively grown in a small area of Liguria and is renowned for its unique perfume, small oval leaves and delicate colour. We source it directly from Paolo, a grower who specialises in DOP basil, based in Celle Ligure.

He grows following the strict guidelines for the DOP certification: the plants are hand-picked when still very young, having produced only 4 to 6 tender leaves, giving the perfect balance of taste and a bouquet without any hint of mint. Importantly, the veins, which in larger plants are guilty of imparting bitterness to the leaf, have not yet fully developed.

An incredible amount of work and care is then put in the final stages of production, to make sure we receive this incredibly delicate produce at its best: harvested with their roots on, the plants are carefully bunched and more compost is added to the roots to protect them and keep the plants fresh for longer.

The delicate Genovese basil is rarely sold outside of Italy, and for this reason Paolo has developed a custom packaging specifically for Natoora, to make sure the fragile leaves reach us in pristine condition.