Ingredients
- 1/4 cup walnut halves, toasted
- 1/2 cup parsley leaves, washed and dried
- 1/4 cup pecorino romano or parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
- 12 oz. pasta noodles, slightly undercooked(by 1 or 2 min.)reserve pasta liquid if using.fusili or cavatappi work great
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth or 1/2 cup of reserved pasta liquid
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
Preparation
- In a small saute pan toast the walnuts for 3 or 4 minutes on low heat. Watch closely so they don't burn.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta and drain.(Reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid if using instead of vegetable broth.) In a food processor, pulse the walnuts, parsley and the garlic clove until finely chopped. Add the grated cheese and the olive oil and process to a coarse puree. Scrape down sides and season with salt and pepper. Pulse one last time.
- Add the vegetable broth(or reserved pasta liquid) and butter to the empty pot and bring to a simmer. Add the cooked pasta and stir often as the liquid is absorbed(about a minute or two). Add the pesto and toss until combined and all pieces are coated. Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with additional grated cheese if desired.
Categories
- Dinner
- Lunch
- Sauce/Dressing
- Side Dish
- Grain
- Plant-Based Protein
- Vegetable
- Vegetarian
- MHealthy