PASTA WITH CREAMY WALNUT PESTO

Pasta with creamy walnut pesto image

This unusual pesto is also wonderful with potato gnocchi, on crostini, in panini, or stirred into risotto at the end

Provided by Ursula Ferrigno

Time 30m

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

400g pasta (I used orecchiette)
175g walnut halves or pieces
1 garlic clove
handful fresh basil , leaves roughly torn, plus extra to serve (optional)
100g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), freshly grated, plus extra to serve (optional)
50g butter
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
50ml double cream

Steps:

Boil the pasta. Meanwhile, put the walnuts and garlic in a food processor and whizz until finely chopped. Add the basil, cheese, butter and oil and pulse a few more times. Season.
Pour the cream into a pan and warm through. Add two-thirds of the pesto, then gently heat to loosen it. When the pasta is ready, drain, reserving 2 tbsp of the cooking water, then mix both with the sauce. Serve immediately, sprinkled with the extra Parmesan and basil, if using. The leftover pesto will keep in the fridge for up to a week, or frozen for up to a month.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 805 calories, Fat 47 grams fat, SaturatedFat 15 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 77 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 3 grams sugar, Fiber 4 grams fiber, Protein 23 grams protein, Sodium 0.48 milligram of sodium