Linguine with Homemade Basil & Walnut Pesto

Italians have long used walnuts for pesto, as they lend a rich earthiness to the sauce. This foolproof recipe from my treasured and well-used copy of The Silver Palate Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins, quips that this sauce is "more Mastroianni than DeNiro: suave, mellow, even elegant. Walnuts and heavy cream add sophistication to the basil-garlic duo — a pesto that is equally at home on pasta, fluffed into hot rice or stirred into homemade mayonnaise as a sauce for cold poached fish or crudités". Buying a magnificent bunch of fresh basil on one of our now limited excursions to the St Lawrence Market, to try and 'flatten the curve' and keep virus-free, this linguine with homemade basil and walnut pesto was an absolute treat.

Linguine with Basil & Walnut Pesto

Serves 4

Recipe courtesy of The Silver Palate Cookbook

1 lb linguine 

1 1/2 tbsp salt

4 quarts water

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup homemade Basil & Walnut pesto

Freshly ground black pepper

Freshly grated imported Parmigiano or Romano cheese

Basil & Walnut Pesto: Makes 2 cups

2 cups fresh basil leaves thoroughly washed and patted dry

4 good-size garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 cup shelled walnuts

1 cup best-quality olive oil

1 cup freshly grated imported Parmigiano 

1/2 cup freshly grated imported Romano 

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine the basil, garlic and walnuts in the bowl of food processor and blitz. Leave the motor running and add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Shut the motor off, add the cheeses, a big pinch of salt and a liberal grinding of pepper. Process briefly to combine, then scrape out into a bowl and cover with a thin film of olive oil on top, until ready to use; freezes well.

Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add the salt and when the water starts to boil again, add the pasta. Use a wooden spoon to stir the pasta until all the strands are under the water. Boil rapidly until done to taste. To test, occasionally  lift and bite a strand. Stir 2 tablespoons of the hot pasta water and the heavy cream into 1 cup of the pesto, then drain the pasta into a colander and return it to the hot pan. Stir in the pesto and toss well to combine. Serve immediately into warm pasta bowls, with a sprig of basil and additional cheese on the side if desired.