Pasta with Toasted Nuts & Ricotta Pesto
A tasty pasta with a pesto made smooth with the addition of pasta water. Make this any night of the week or serve it to guests - because everyone loves mac 'n cheese. The idea for this recipe came from an Epicurious version, but has been adapted and augmented.
Other unique pasta options: Brown Butter Butternut Squash Pasta, Pasta with Brown Butter, Whole Lemon & Parmesan, Pasta & Rice Pilaf with Lemon & Brown Butter Mushrooms, Pasta with Scallops, Lemon & Nuts, Miso-Butter Pasta with Butternut Squash. Back to Main Dishes.
Serves 4-6
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds or nuts of your choice
400 grams fresh mushrooms, or to taste, sliced
Kosher salt
1 cup fresh ricotta
1 garlic clove, finely grated or chopped
2 -4 teaspoons finely chopped oregano
1/2 - 1 cup Parmesan, finely grated, plus more for serving
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
400 grams pasta shapes of your choice
Method
Chop the nuts into tiny pieces. Heat a frying pan on a stovetop (no grease) and toast the nuts for 2-4 minutes, tossing them frequently. remove from the heat and pour into a bowl as soon as they begin to brown.
Slice the mushrooms. Melt a knob of butter or heat oil in a pan and and sautee the mushrooms until browned, about 5-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
Mix the nuts, ricotta, garlic, oregano, and the Parmesan in a large bowl until well combined. Add the olive oil, 1 tablespoon or so at a time, stirring well after each addition, until all the oil is incorporated. Season the pesto with salt and pepper.
Cook the pasta in the pot of boiling water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Scoop up to 1 cup pasta cooking liquid into the bowl with the pesto and stir gently to combine (it’s okay if some of the pesto is still in small clumps).
Using a spider, tongs, or slotted spoon, transfer the pasta directly to bowl with pesto.
Mix energetically until the pesto thickens enough to lightly coat the pasta, about 2 minutes; the pasta should have sauce clinging to it but there should also be some extra sauce that collects in bottom of bowl.
Add the mushrooms and mix again. Adjust the seasonings by adding more oregano, salt and pepper, if desired.
Serve the pasta with more Parmesan alongside for sprinkling.
A tasty pasta with a pesto made smooth with the addition of pasta water. Make this any night of the week or serve it to guests - because everyone loves mac 'n cheese. The idea for this recipe came from an Epicurious version, but has been adapted and augmented.
Other unique pasta options: Brown Butter Butternut Squash Pasta, Pasta with Brown Butter, Whole Lemon & Parmesan, Pasta & Rice Pilaf with Lemon & Brown Butter Mushrooms, Pasta with Scallops, Lemon & Nuts, Miso-Butter Pasta with Butternut Squash. Back to Main Dishes.
Serves 4-6
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds or nuts of your choice
400 grams fresh mushrooms, or to taste, sliced
Kosher salt
1 cup fresh ricotta
1 garlic clove, finely grated or chopped
2 -4 teaspoons finely chopped oregano
1/2 - 1 cup Parmesan, finely grated, plus more for serving
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
400 grams pasta shapes of your choice
Method
Chop the nuts into tiny pieces. Heat a frying pan on a stovetop (no grease) and toast the nuts for 2-4 minutes, tossing them frequently. remove from the heat and pour into a bowl as soon as they begin to brown.
Slice the mushrooms. Melt a knob of butter or heat oil in a pan and and sautee the mushrooms until browned, about 5-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
Mix the nuts, ricotta, garlic, oregano, and the Parmesan in a large bowl until well combined. Add the olive oil, 1 tablespoon or so at a time, stirring well after each addition, until all the oil is incorporated. Season the pesto with salt and pepper.
Cook the pasta in the pot of boiling water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Scoop up to 1 cup pasta cooking liquid into the bowl with the pesto and stir gently to combine (it’s okay if some of the pesto is still in small clumps).
Using a spider, tongs, or slotted spoon, transfer the pasta directly to bowl with pesto.
Mix energetically until the pesto thickens enough to lightly coat the pasta, about 2 minutes; the pasta should have sauce clinging to it but there should also be some extra sauce that collects in bottom of bowl.
Add the mushrooms and mix again. Adjust the seasonings by adding more oregano, salt and pepper, if desired.
Serve the pasta with more Parmesan alongside for sprinkling.