Ingredients
- 400 g cappellini or spaghettini (or favorite pasta variety), reserving 1/4 cup pasta-cooking water (60 ml)
- 1 cup walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted (100 g)
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (80 ml)
- 3 small bunches flat-leaf parsley
- 1/3 cup vegetable broth (80 ml)
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (from an organic lemon)
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- freshly grated parmesan
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Fill a large pot of water with water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook according to packet instructions, until al dente.
- Meanwhile, in food processor (or using a immersion blender), blend the walnuts, olive oil, parsley, broth, garlic, salt, bread crumbs, lemon zest and lemon juice until smooth.
- Reserve 1/4 cup pasta-cooking water (60 ml), then drain pasta and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the walnut mixture, toss and add pasta water one tablespoon a time until the sauce reaches the desired consistency; tossing until well combined.
- Garnish with freshly grated parmesan, salt and pepper and serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- Be sure to reserve some of the pasta-cooking water. This will help ensure that there is enough sauce to go along with your noodles. The starch in the water gives your sauce extra body and help the sauce cling to the noodles. Make sure your noodles are al dente as well, as it will allow the pasta to absorb some of the sauce.
- Zesting a lemon: Avoid the white pith separating the colorful zest and the fruit. It's bitter and doesn't add the brightness like the peel.
- I find this parsley walnut pesto quite filling so prefer to cook little less pasta and include a green salad on the side. For big eaters, feel free to use 500 g pasta or serve a salad and some bread or on the side.