Bucatini With Walnut-Parsley Pesto
A fresh twist on classic pasta, featuring a vibrant pesto made with walnuts, Calabrian chiles, and plenty of parsley. This bucatini dish combines the nuttiness of toasted walnuts with the heat of chiles and the freshness of herbs.
Ingredients
- •1 cup walnuts
- •6 whole pickled Calabrian chiles
- •1 clove garlic
- •1½ ounces Parmesan
- •⅓ cup olive oil
- •1 cup parsley
- •to taste salt and pepper
- •¾ pound bucatini
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until fragrant and slightly darkened, 8-10 minutes. Let cool.
10 min
- 2.
Pulse 3/4 cup walnuts in a food processor or blender until very finely chopped (but not pasty). Reserve remaining walnuts for serving. Remove stems from chiles; add to food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Transfer walnut mixture to a medium bowl and stir in garlic, Parmesan, oil, and 1 cup parsley. Season pesto with salt and pepper.
10 min
- 3.
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot and add pesto along with 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Toss, adding splashes of cooking liquid as needed, until pesto coats pasta and sauce is glossy.
15 min
- 4.
Crush reserved walnuts with the flat side of a knife. Divide pasta among bowls and top with walnuts and more parsley.
5 min
- 5.
Pesto can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.