Pasta with Walnut Sauce
Pasta with Walnut Sauce
I make this Walnut Sauce often, it’s easy and of course tasty as well as being one of James’ (my son) favorite meals. I haven’t shared it yet because of two reasons: first it’s not my recipe it’s Nigella Lawson’s recipe and I thought that I couldn’t share it, then again I have made it so many times that it is only right to show you how quick and easy this is, the second reason it really doesn’t photograph well.
So having said that Courteous of Food Network – I present one of my many, “go to pasta sauce”:
Ingredients
6 ounces shelled walnuts
½-clove garlic – I use 1 whole one we can handle the garlic flavor.
2/3 cup of whole milk – I have used 1% – or what I had at the time
1 ounce or ¼ of a cup of grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil (Nigella suggest to use Ligurian Olive Oil) again I did use Olive oil but I used what I had on hand, it worked and I have also used extra virgin olive oil on.
Salt and pepper a small pinch of each.
2 pounds of flat short pasta – I use bow ties or farfalle, and pappardelle; which are long wide noodles, next time I want to try it with ravioli – (maybe homemade ravioli – with an interesting filling)
Another note: (This sauce is enough for 2 lbs. of pasta – My family uses 1 lb. of pasta, therefore using a large serving spoon I plop a dollop of the sauce and mix it into the pasta – the rest I store it in a palstic container and if I want to have it again the same week I will refrigerate it or if not I will freeze it; for no more than a week.)
½ cup or less chopped parsley, depending on your taste
Put a large saucepan or stockpot add water, on to boil, and toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan until they make a nutty aroma
Put the bread in a bowl and cover with the milk. Put most of the toasted walnuts (reserving about 1 ounce for garnish) into the blender along with the garlic, bread soaked in milk, and Parmesan cheese. Blend until smooth and creamy, and then pour in the oil and season well with salt and pepper before blending again.
Pour into a bowl and set aside.
Add pasta to boiling water with salt and cook for the required amount of time. When pasta is Al dente reserve a cup of pasta cooking liquid and then drain the pasta, but put it into a large bowl while still dripping slightly with water. Sprinkle a little olive oil over the pasta to prevent it from sticking… (I don’t do that) add walnut sauce mixing it into the pasta (splash in a little pasta cooking liquid to make the sauce less thick if needed – no need to add the full cup .
Roughly chop the remaining walnuts and toss them over the top along with some more Parmesan and if desired chopped parsley.
I wanted to make this because my Aunts ( my mother’s sister and and sister-in-law when they visited us many years ago from Northern Italy brought a sauce similar to this at our house and prepared it for us – it was delicious. One day while watching Nigella’s show on the Food Network, Nigella prepared this sauce – I have been making it since then.
It is so yummy, quick and easy.
Mangia, Mangia…No Talk!!!
Hi Marisa
Here I am catching up.. I have been so busy..
This recipe looks delicious. You can never go wrong with pasta. I wish I could eat it everyday.
the mango salsa below is my next thing to make. Sams wholesale makes one but it is so expensive. I bought a whole box of mangos and that is the next thing I will take to a family bbq. Thanks for inspiring me.
xo Marissa.
Hi Marisa,
It looks and sounds scrumptious! I love creamy garlic sauces and this, infused with the aroma and crunch of walnuts is very tempting! Must give it a go! Thanks for sharing and Happy Mother's Day!!
Poppy
Thank you for stopping by – before you squeeze the lime onto the salsa make sure the juice is not bitter… Enjoy!!!
the pasta is so goo and really perfect for a BBQ, or brunch as well. Enjoy
have a wonderful Mothers day!!!!
Marissa – have a wonderful Mothers day!!!!
Oh, yum! This sounds so good!
This looks good enough to be a dessert! I can't wait to try it!
It is very tasty my kids love it so does Nick it has a nice taste goes great wit Ravioli too.
Thanks for stopping by; its really a yummy and quick dish to put together; I have also served this dish during a brunch as well – not very desserty type because of the the 1/2 garlic clove – i use a whole garlic clove – my thinking was what is 1/2 a garlic clove? Hope you do try it…Enjoy! 🙂