Pasta with Walnuts

This delightful recipe presents a delicious and authentically Italian midwinter pasta dish, perfect for satisfying your cravings with its rich and flavorful sauce. Traditionally, this sauce is paired with pansotti, a type of pasta common in the Piedmont region. However, for a convenient and time-saving alternative, store-bought pasta works wonderfully well with this sauce.

MAKES: 4 servings

TIME: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• Salt
• 1 thick slice Italian bread
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup walnut or pecan halves
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 2 teaspoons fresh marjoram leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound linguine, spaghetti, or other long pasta

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Begin by bringing a large pot of water to a boil and add a pinch of salt to it. This salted water will be used to cook the pasta later.
2. Take the thick slice of Italian bread and soak it in the half cup of milk. Let it soak thoroughly to soften.
3. In a food processor, combine the walnut or pecan halves, peeled garlic cloves, freshly grated Parmesan, and the marjoram leaves (or dried marjoram). Turn on the food processor and let it run.
4. While the food processor is running, slowly pour in the extra virgin olive oil. The mixture should come together and form a thick paste-like consistency.
5. Squeeze out the soaked bread to remove excess milk, and add it to the nutty mixture in the food processor. The resulting mixture will be quite thick.
6. Add the milk the bread was soaked in and sprinkle in a good amount of salt and pepper to taste. Additionally, pour in enough water to create a saucy texture.
7. Add the linguine, spaghetti, or your chosen long pasta to the boiling water. Cook the pasta until it reaches a tender but not mushy texture. Once cooked, drain the pasta, but remember to reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta-cooking water.
8. Toss the cooked pasta with the prepared sauce, ensuring the pasta is evenly coated. Add a bit of the reserved pasta-cooking water (or more olive oil if preferred) to achieve the desired consistency of the sauce.
9. Before serving, taste the pasta and adjust the seasoning as needed. For an extra burst of flavor, grate more Parmesan on top, and enjoy your authentic midwinter pasta dish!

SERVING:

This recipe yields 4 servings and can be prepared in approximately 20 minutes. Whether you’re trying it with traditional pansotti or a store-bought pasta, this dish promises to be a delightful addition to your culinary repertoire, infusing the comforts of the Piedmont region into your home-cooked meals.

TIPS:

• Add Fresh Herbs: If you have extra fresh marjoram or other herbs on hand, consider sprinkling some on top of the finished dish for a burst of freshness.\

• Pairing: While linguine and spaghetti work well, you can experiment with other types of pasta to find your favorite combination.

• Garnish Creatively: Besides extra Parmesan, consider garnishing the dish with a drizzle of high-quality olive oil, a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes, or a few fresh marjoram leaves.

• Meal Enhancements: This pasta dish can be a complete meal on its own, but you can also serve it with a side salad or garlic bread to complement the flavors.

• Make It Ahead: You can prepare the sauce in advance and keep it refrigerated until ready to use. Just remember to bring it to room temperature and stir it well before tossing with freshly cooked pasta.