Author Notes
This recipe is part of my iPhone/iPad app Cook with Grazia, 20-minute traditional Italian recipes. It originates from the Liguria region. This earthy, rich, decadent sauce quickly transforms simple pasta into a distinctive dish. On special occasions, in Liguria the walnut pesto is served with Pansoti, a filled pasta similar to ravioli. The filling of this fresh pasta is traditionally made with local wild herbs previously boiled (preboggion), mixed with a local fresh cheese, the cagliata or prescinsêua. These hard to find, local ingredients nowadays are often substituted by spinach and/or chard and ricotta cheese. Pansoti with walnut pesto is a typical lent dish. For more Italian traditional recipes check my blog http://www.cookwithgrazia.com —grazia
Ingredients
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1 pound
Pasta, any short kind, like Farfalle
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1 scant cups
Walnuts, raw, about 3 oz.
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1 small
Clove of Garlic, peeled
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1 ounce
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, in chunks
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1 slice
Bread, sandwich white
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1/2 cup
Milk (any fat percentage)
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4 tablespoons
Extra-virgin Olive Oil
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2 tablespoons
Ricotta cheese
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1/4 teaspoon
Salt
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1 sprig
Marjoram, leaves only, optional
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4-6 tablespoons
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated, to pass at the table
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to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
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Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until tender but still al dente, or firm to the bite. Meanwhile...
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Place the walnuts, chunks of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and garlic in a food processor and grind until it forms a thick paste.
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Soak the slice of bread in the milk
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Add the bread and the milk to the food processor, together with the remaining ingredients (but not the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano).
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Blend until it forms a smooth sauce, scraping the sides occasionally with a spatula (silicone works best).
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Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the cooking pot and toss immediately with the sauce. Add some of the reserved pasta water if the dish seems too dry. Serve hot, with a touch of freshly grated black pepper if desired, passing some finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Buon Appetito!
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