This Pasta with Herbed Walnut Sauce hails from the hills of Liguria, a coastal region from northwestern Italy. Popular for its cuisine, I was excited to indulge in a dish that we don’t normally see on the menu of our favorite Italian restaurants.
So here’s the story. I was gifted with an armful of books and cookbooks this past Christmas. My parents, my kids, my hubby – they know what I like. I seriously have enough pages to keep me occupied for the rest of the year, and then some! Most of my books were surprises, but there were a few that I asked Santa for specifically, and the big guy delivered! I guess this means I made the Nice List! 😉
The Ultimate Pasta and Noodle Cookbook from Serena Cosmo was at the top of my wish list, and happens to be the inspiration for today’s recipe. (I bet you already figured that out!)
Upon receiving this gem of a book, it became clear that a protective cover and splash guards will be in order. Because when I’m done with it – this poor book won’t know what hit it.
Written by a food obsessed Italian immigrant, and food blogger to boot, this is a resource I’m excited to keep on my cookbook stand, in my backpack, under my pillow… You get the picture! 😉
I’ve decided to begin with the walnut sauce for a couple of reasons…
- Anything that comes close to resembling a pesto gets my full and immediate attention.
- I have enough walnuts in my fridge to feed a small forest of tiny animals.
- It just sounds plain delicious.
I made a couple of slight modifications but hopefully nothing that the fine folks of Genoa won’t agree with…
I want to point out a couple of things – if you don’t have walnut oil, extra virgin olive oil is an excellent replacement. Feel free to top your pasta with crumbled goat cheese, gorgonzola or grated Parmigiano (my personal favorite). And, I have finally learned, after all these years, that 1 Tbsp of salt for every 4 cups of boiling water is a good rule when making pasta.
Now, go make yourself a big bowl of Pasta with Herbed Walnut Sauce and imagine yourself sitting seaside in Liguria feasting on their best kept secret.
And don’t forget the wine!
Buon Appetito!
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Pasta with Herbed Walnut Sauce
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
This Pasta with Herbed Walnut Sauce hails from the hills of Liguria, a coastal region from northwestern Italy.
Ingredients
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
- Handful fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 3 Tbsp olive oil (or walnut oil)
- 3 Tbsp heavy cream
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
- 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
- Salt, to taste
- 1 pound pasta (any long noodle, i.e. mafaldine, spaghetti, farfalle, linguine)
- Crumbled goat, gorgonzola or grated Parmigiano, for serving
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil, then add the walnuts. Cook for 2 minutes, drain, and let cool.
- Rub off skins and place on paper towel lined plate to dry.
- Place in a small plastic baggie and break them up with a rolling pin. Transfer to a small bowl. Set aside.
- Using a food processor or blender, add the walnuts, garlic, parsley and 1 tsp Italian seasoning.
- pulse until you have a smooth paste.
- Transfer to a medium bowl, ad the olive or walnut oil, and whisk until thoroughly combined
- Add the cream, 3 Tbsp of butter, breadcrumbs, and a couple pinches of salt. Whisk well to combine. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. (*1 Tbsp of salt for every 4 cups of water.)
- Cook pasta according to package directions to al dente. (*Pasta soft but still very firm.)
- Reserve about 1/4 cup of pasta water and drain.
- Return the empty pot to the stove.
- Turn the heat to high and add the remaining 2 Tbsp butter and reserved pasta water.
- Add the pasta and walnut sauce, and cook, mixing continuously, for about 1 minute.
- Serve hot with crumbled goat cheese or Parmigiano and chopped parsley.
CIAO!
I LOVE simple pastas like this, Annie. They are easy to make but full of flavor. I’d eat this everyday if I could! Pinning! Hope you’re having a great weekend.
Simple is my favorite kind! Thanks, friend! 🙂
Oh I am absolutely loving this pasta Annie and that herbed walnut sauce sounds so creamy and heavenly. I would love to try out this recipe, it makes an amazing dinner…now I am going to be on the hunt for walnut oil 🙂
Thanks, Ashika! I hope you find it – but if you don’t, olive oil is a fine replacement! 🙂
oh my god yaaaaasssss! big mistake looking at your blog before bed i always end up so hungry and craving so many different foods. I am pinning to make this this week and I cannot wait! It looks divine
Uh oh! Sorry! 😉 hehehe! Only means it’s out there waiting for you!! Thanks, dear!
I love cookbooks as gifts – you’re way more likely to find me curled up under a blanket browsing a cookbook than a fashion magazine. And, from this pasta recipe, looks like you got a winner! And I’m so intrigued by that pasta shape – like teeny lasagna noodles – I hope I can find them.
Soul Sisters! That’s the best way to snuggle in! I hope you can find them too! Thanks, dear! 🙂
I have far too many cookbooks and love each and every one! It’s like my private library. 🙂
Love this one Annie and the sauce and killer looking noodles to catch all that saucy goodness is killing me! 🙂
I hear you! I love each new book as much as the last! Thanks for your kind words, friend! 🙂
The big guy took care of you this Christmas! LOL! I’ve never seen such fabulous noodles… and I’m completely heart eyes over that herbed walnut sauce. I’ll bring the bread to sop it up! Delicious Annie!
Yes! Bring that bread and we’ll have a party!! Thanks, dear!
Hah! I also have enough walnuts in my fridge to feed a small forest (thanks Costco). This looks like a perfect way to use some of that up – it looks delicious!!! I will never say no to a new pasta dish. Pinned for my next meatless Monday!
Don’t you just love Costco?! Thanks so much! All the yeses for pasta!! 🙂
That’s totally my kind of pasta Annie. Simple and delicious. I am gonna have to try your herbed walnut sauce for my dinner tonight. Thanks for posting this. 🙂
Ahh! Wonderful! Enjoy! 🙂
We got from Santa quite a few cookbooks ourselves 🙂 . Loreto is building a whole bookshelf just to host them. This pasta is simple and tasty, just the way I like it. Beautiful, Annie, as usual. Pinned among my favorite Pasta recipes!
It is necessary! Don’t know what I’d do without my bookshelves, either! 🙂 So happy you like this! Thank you, my friend!
Just the mention of walnuts and flat leaf parsley are enough to win my commitment to this pasta sauce. Absolutely my kind of bowl of sunshine. So exciting about your new cookbooks! Have a great week, Annie!
Yaaaas! A big bowl of sunshine! Thanks, friend!
I also got quite few cookbooks from Santa! Wish there was enough days in a year for me to try all the recipes! Your pasta looks incredible Annie, I can almost taste it over here! And thanks for the tip with salt, who knew? 😉
Books are always what I want! Thanks for your kind words, my friend! 🙂
This pasta looks amazing! I love reading cookbooks and I’ll need to check out this one. I think I might need to add walnut oil to my shopping list. I don’t have any in my pantry
Thank you, Kathy! Oh yes – you’ll want to add that to your list! 🙂
We are so similar–my obsession with recipe books knows no bounds. Either does my love for anything pesto-ish. I’m absolutely trying this and I think I even have some walnut oil in the pantry. Have a great week, Annie!
You will love it with the walnut oil! Enjoy!
I am OBSESSED with recipe books!! I just love looking through them, smelling the pages and looking at all the pictures. This sounds like one awesome one! That walnut sauce sounds amazing! I bet it would also be lovely on a sandwich 🙂 Have a wonderful week! XOXO
I love the way you think! It would be awesome on a sandwich…a panini! YUM! Thanks, dear! Cheers! XOXO
This looks absolutely fabulous and I just happen to have walnut oil in my pantry! Can’t wait to try this 🙂
Ahhhh – that will be wonderful! 🙂
I am kind of obsessed with cookbooks much like you. I have them coming out of my ears! This pasta looks creamy and delicious and I know my kids would devour it! Happy Monday Annie.
Cookbooks serve us well on so many levels, don’t they?! 🙂 Thank you, my friend!
I am seriously craving this for breakfast, Annie!! I love anything with walnuts, so this sauce is definitely right up my alley! Can’t wait to try this! Pinning! Cheers! xo
P.s. Aren’t cookbooks the best gift to receive?! My only problem is I’ve run out of places to keep them. 😉
You will love this! So savory and delicious! Thanks, dear! xo
I absolutely have to try this recipe Annie! I’m a big walnut fan, so I know I’ll love it. My favorite gift for any occasion is always a cookbook too! Hope you have an awesome week!
I need to count my cookbooks – I really have no idea what that number is… Yay! Enjoy the dish, my friend! 🙂
I can’t wait to make this recipe!! And since I’m a huge fan of cookbooks, especially Italian ones, I’l be checking this book out. Have a great day, my friend. ?
You will love the book! And the dish! 🙂 Thanks, friend!