Walnut and Ricotta Pesto - could use tarragon

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Walnut and Ricotta Pesto

1/2 cup walnuts

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

12 large fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups ricotta

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino romano cheese

Sea salt, preferably gray salt

Freshly ground black pepper

 

 

 

 

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

 

Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast until

fragrant and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Let

cool, then chop coarsely.

 

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small skillet

over moderately high heat. Add the garlic and sauté

until light brown. Scrape the garlic into a mortar or

food processor and add the basil and nuts. Pound to a

paste or process until finely chopped. Add the

ricotta, the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and the

lemon zest, and pound or process until thoroughly

blended. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the pecorino

cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

 

Author: Casual Cooking by Michael Chiarello

Copyright: © 2007 NapaStyle Inc.

Formatted by Chupa Babi in MC: 08.07.07

 

ChefNote: In this version of pesto, cheese substitutes

for most of the olive oil. It makes an easy, flavorful

pasta sauce: just toss a generous amount with hot

pasta, a spoonful of butter, and a little of the pasta

cooking water to thin. You could use this pesto as a

layer in lasagna or stuff it into pasta shells. Bake

the stuffed shells with tomato sauce, or drizzled with

butter and sprinkled with Parmesan, until hot

throughout.

 

ChupNote: I prefer mint or greek oregano with the

walnuts. But that is just my preference. It would

probably be lovely with all that extra tarragon or

sorrel, as well.

 

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