White Walnut Pesto
By: Gigi Howe
I’m so excited, I have been looking for this recipe for weeks. I knew it was somewhere… Pretty much gave up hope and then I was looking through one of my recipe boxes and there it was! Guess it doesn’t take a whole lot to make me happy 😉 But anyway, this is a good recipe – a nice change from a tomato sauce and a traditional pesto sauce.
When I was growing up we had many meals with pasta mixed with ricotta. You can put a little sauce on it or leave it plain. Its a simple dish that was a staple in my house as a kid. This recipe takes that simple dish a little further.
You can toast the walnuts before you add them to the recipe, but I’ve never done that. Depending upon your “garlic meter” you can add as much garlic as you dare. I’m a big fan so I usually put more in that what it says in the recipe.
White Walnut Pesto
Ingredients:
– 3/4 cup walnuts
– 6 tablespoons olive oil
– 4 cloves of garlic, minced
– 15 large fresh basil leaves
– 1 1/2 cups ricotta
– 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
– 1/4 cup milk (might need a little more)
– 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
– salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Saute garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until light brown.
2. Scrape sauteed garlic into food processor and add the rest of the ingredients. Blend until completely mixed and somewhat smooth.
3. Spoon over cooked pasta and mix until combined. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!!
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