Torchietti with Walnuts

17/11/2023

Torchietti with walnuts is a delicious first course, typical of Northern Italy, especially Liguria, where the walnut sauce enjoys particular fame. Here is the classic recipe, with an Italian touch that cannot be missed.

Ingredients

360 g of torchietti (or another type of short pasta if not available)
200 g of shelled walnuts
50 g of pine nuts
100 g of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 clove of garlic
100 ml of fresh cream
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

Begin by shelling the walnuts and lightly toasting them in a pan along with the pine nuts, taking care not to burn them. Then let them cool.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil to cook the torchietti.
Put walnuts and pine nuts in a blender, add the garlic clove (de-germed to make it more digestible), a pinch of salt, and blend everything until you get a cream that is not too fine. You want to feel the texture of the nuts.
Pour the walnut cream into a pan and dilute it with cream, adding a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a grind of black pepper. Heat on low until you get a smooth sauce.
When the pasta is al dente, drain it, preserving some of the cooking water.
Add the torchietti to the pan with the sauce and mix well, adding some of the pasta cooking water to make the sauce more fluid if necessary.
Turn off the heat and incorporate the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, mixing well to let it melt into the sauce.
Serve the torchietti with walnuts hot, finishing with a dusting of Parmigiano if desired.

Curiosity

Walnut sauce is a very ancient preparation, found in medieval documents. Its modern version often includes the use of cream, but in the more traditional recipes, milk or broth was used. Depending on the area of origin, there can be variations with the addition of herbs or marjoram that give the sauce different aromatic nuances.

Remember that torchietti with walnuts is also great in a summer version, served cold as a single dish for an outdoor lunch. Bon appétit!