Spaghettini With Parsley Pesto And Walnuts Recipes

WALNUT AND PARSLEY PESTO

Steps:

• Place garlic and salt in a mortar; smash and mash with the pestle until it becomes a paste, 5 to 8 minutes. Add walnuts; mash walnuts into a paste until you reach your desired texture (coarse or smoother), another 5 to 8 minutes. Add parsley and mash to break up and blend with the walnut/garlic mixture, about 4 minutes. Add lemon juice and olive oil; stir, mash, and emulsify liquids into the mixture until it becomes very thick and well blended, 8 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. If mixture seems too thick, whisk in a tablespoon of water, or as needed.
• Spread on bread, use on pizza or pasta, or on roasted chicken. The taste is just like garlic butter, so use it as such.

BUCATINI WITH WALNUT-PARSLEY PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until fragrant and slightly darkened, 8-10 minutes. Let cool.
• Pulse 3/4 cup walnuts in a food processor or blender until very finely chopped (but not pasty). Reserve remaining walnuts for serving. Remove stems from chiles; add to food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Transfer walnut mixture to a medium bowl and stir in garlic, Parmesan, oil, and 1 cup parsley. Season pesto with salt and pepper.
• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot and add pesto along with 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Toss, adding splashes of cooking liquid as needed, until pesto coats pasta and sauce is glossy.
• Crush reserved walnuts with the flat side of a knife. Divide pasta among bowls and top with walnuts and more parsley.
• Do Ahead
• Pesto can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

FETTUCCINE WITH PARSLEY PESTO AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot.
• In a food processor, puree parsley, walnuts, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons water until a paste forms. With machine running, add oil in a thin stream; process until very smooth, about 1 minute. Season pesto with salt and pepper.
• To pasta in pot, add pesto, 1/4 cup pasta water, and spinach; toss to combine. Thin with pasta water as needed. Serve sprinkled with walnuts and Parmesan.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH PARSLEY WALNUT PESTO

Steps:

• Pierce squash all over with a sharp small knife. Cook in a microwave oven (see cooks' note, below) at high power (100 percent) 8 minutes, then turn over and microwave until squash gives when pressed gently, 8 to 10 minutes more. Cool squash 5 minutes.
• While squash is cooking, toast nuts in a dry small heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and a shade darker, about 6 minutes, then cool completely.
• Pulse nuts and garlic in a food processor until finely ground. Add parsley, oil, cheese, water, salt, pepper, and zest and pulse until parsley is coarsely chopped.
• While squash is still hot, cut off stem from squash and discard, then carefully halve squash lengthwise (it will emit steam) and discard seeds. Working over a bowl, scrape out squash flesh with a fork, loosening and separating strands. Toss with pesto in a bowl.

SPAGHETTI WITH WALNUT SAGE PESTO

Steps:

• Cook spaghetti in a 6-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
• While pasta is boiling, blend parsley, sage, and garlic with salt in a food processor until finely chopped. Add walnuts and pulse until finely chopped. With motor running, add oil in a steady stream. Turn off motor, then add 1/3 cup cheese and pepper and pulse to combine.
• Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander. Thin pesto with reserved cooking water in a serving bowl, then add pasta and toss to combine. Sprinkle with cheese before serving.