Linguine with Walnut Pesto

Here is the recipe to prepare delicious Linguine with walnut pesto, which is an excellent example of how we can incorporate ingredients from the Italian territory into dishes with a rich and enveloping flavor.

Ingredients

• 320 g di linguine
• 100 g shelled walnuts
• 50 g grated Parmesan
• 1 clove of garlic
• A few fresh marjoram leaves (optional)
• 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Pasta cooking water to taste

Preparation

1. First, bring a pot of salted water to a boil to cook the linguine.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the walnut pesto. In a food processor, add the walnuts, garlic, Parmesan, marjoram (if using), a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Blend everything, gradually adding the extra virgin olive oil until you obtain a homogeneous cream. If the mixture is too thick, you can add a bit of the pasta cooking water to make it more fluid.
4. When the water boils, cook the linguine according to the package instructions for al dente pasta.
5. Drain the linguine, reserving some cooking water, and transfer to a large bowl.
6. Add the walnut pesto to the linguine and mix gently. If necessary, add a bit of the reserved cooking water to reach the desired consistency.
7. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve your linguine with walnut pesto immediately; if desired, you can garnish with some whole or chopped walnuts for a crunchy touch. This dish is an excellent combination of the simplicity of the fruits of the earth and Italian culinary tradition.

Trivia

Walnut pesto is a variant of the more famous Genovese pesto and represents one of the many riches of Ligurian cuisine. Variants of this sauce can be found in different Italian regions, sometimes enriched with cream or Gorgonzola for an even more enveloping flavor.