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Clean recipe · cooking.nytimes.com

Walnut-Ricotta Pesto Pasta

This creamy, rustic pesto makes use of a simple method to crush nuts right on the baking sheet they are toasted on, without the need for any special equipment. When the rich, tender walnuts are stirred into a seasoned ricotta mixture, the tiny bits add crunch to this luxurious and satisfying pasta dish. Broccolini briefly blanches in the pot just as the pasta finishes cooking, further minimizing fuss and clean up and making this a complete and rounded meal.

Original recipe: cooking.nytimes.com

Yield:
4 servings
Prep:
0 hr 5 min
Cook:
0 hr 20 min
Total:
0 hr 25 min
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Ingredients

  1. 1 cup walnuts
  2. Salt
  3. 1 pound short, squiggly pasta, such as cavatappi or fusilli
  4. 1 cup ricotta
  5. ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  6. 1 garlic clove, finely grated
  7. ¼ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
  8. ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
  9. Freshly ground black pepper
  10. 8 ounces broccolini, cut into 2-inch lengths

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 10 minutes, until lightly golden when broken in half. Let cool for a minute or two, then use a heavy-bottomed pot or a sturdy glass or cup to crush the walnuts into very small pieces on the baking sheet.
  2. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente, according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, whisk the ricotta, olive oil, garlic, Parmesan, nutmeg and black pepper together in a large bowl until smooth. Taste and season with salt, as needed. Stir in the crushed walnuts and set aside.
  3. Once the pasta is al dente, add the broccolini to the pot and cook for another 2 minutes, until broccolini is tender and pasta is fully cooked. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking liquid and drain the pasta and broccolini in a large colander.
  4. Add the pasta and broccolini to the bowl with the ricotta pesto mixture. Stir and toss vigorously until everything is evenly coated in the sauce. Add splashes of reserved pasta cooking liquid as needed to achieve a loose but creamy consistency.
  5. Divide pasta among bowls and serve with more grated Parmesan and some cracked black pepper on top.