Walnut Sauce

servings
Makes 237 ml (1 cup)
prep time
15 minutes
cook time
30 minutes
Pasta covered in rich walnut sauce, served in a black bowl with a side of sliced bread.

Hearty pasta generously coated in a creamy walnut sauce, accompanied by slices of fresh bread on the side. Photo credit: Natasha Stoppel.

Ingredients

  • •198 grams (7 ounces) unsalted walnut pieces
  • •30 ml (2 tablespoons) plain dry breadcrumbs
  • •1 clove garlic, peeled
  • •Coarse sea salt (NOT kosher) or fine salt
  • •30 ml (2 tablespoons) freshly grated Parmagiano Reggiano cheese
  • •1 pinch fresh marjoram
  • •177 ml (¾ cup) fresh ricotta cheese
  • •118 ml (4 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

  1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the walnuts, bread crumbs, garlic, and salt to taste. Pulse to make a coarse paste.

    Add the Parmegiano Reggiano cheese and the marjoram. Pulse again to blend. Add the ricotta, and 10 to 15 ml (2 to 3 teaspoons) of tepid water. Pulse once or twice. With the processor running, slowly drizzle the olive oil, but don’t over-purée (a little texture is nice). Taste and adjust the seasonings. It will probably need more salt. You can serve this mixed in with hot gnocci or tortellini, or serve as a spread with small slices of country bread or crackers.

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About the author

Denise Landis had been employed as an archeologist for seven years before a food editor hired her to test some recipes from a cookbook manuscript. This short stint led to longer assignments, and two years later she began testing recipes for the New York Times. She has been a professional recipe tester and editor for over 25 years, is the author of a New York Times cookbook, and has written for numerous publications. She is a member of the New York Chapter of Les Dames d’ Escoffier.

Denise Landis

Denise Landis

Denise Landis is the founder & CEO of The Cook's Cook.

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