Genovese basil or sweet basil (Genoese: baxaicò [baʒajˈkɔ] or baxeicò [baʒejˈkɔ]; Italian: basilico genovese [baˈziːliko dʒenoˈveːze, -eːse]) is a cultivar of Ocimum basilicum produced in the Italian provinces of Genoa, Savona and Imperia, Liguria. It is one of the most popular basils for culinary use, particularly for its use in pesto, the traditional Genoese sauce. The name basilico genovese is protected by the European Union with the protected designation of origin certification.
The best Genovese basil is said to be grown in Pra', a western neighbourhood of the city of Genoa. The nearby presence of a large steel mill from the 1950s to the 1980s threatened the cultivar, said to be necessary to produce the "real" Genoese pesto. Now the threat is mostly gone with the dismissal of the mill and the conversion of the remaining lines to less polluting productions.
