Wash gently the basil leaves and dry them with paper towels.

Toast almonds (at 200 °C for 10 minutes or in a non stick pan) then chop them.

Put the basil, little by little, together with almonds in the mortar and start to pounding with the pestle.

Add the grated grana, salt, pepper and pound again gradually adding the oil.

Continue to pound with circular movements until you get a omogeneous mixture.

Season with more olive oil, salt and pepper.

Soften the pesto sauce with a tbsp of the pasta cooking water and use it, both cold and hot, to season spaghetti, rice or spelt.