Gorgonzola Garganelli with Toasted Walnut Pesto
Save this for a snowy day when you want a rich and creamy pasta dish that warms the soul. Open a hearty Zinfandel, light a fire, and make sure there’s enough for seconds.
Ingredients
Walnut Pesto
- 1 cup shelled walnuts toasted
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Pasta
- 1 pound garganelli pasta
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 4 ounces Gorgonzola Piccante room temperature
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Walnut Pesto
- Add toasted walnuts to a mortar and pestle or food processor and grind until coarse.
- Add minced garlic and mix until combined.
- Add oil in 3 batches, stirring to combine.
- Fold in parmesan cheese.
- Store in airtight container until needed.
Pasta
- Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Cook pasta until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Reserve one cup of pasta water and strain pasta. Return pasta to the pot, cover, and set aside.
- Simmer heavy cream and nutmeg in a medium saucepan over medium heat until cream is reduced by half.
- Add Gorgonzola and stir until cheese melts and sauce becomes smooth.
- Pour sauce onto pasta and stir to coat.
- To serve, divide pasta into 4 warm bowls and top with a spoonful of walnut pesto. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Chef Josh Berry and Maggie Knowles
Chef Josh Berry and Maggie Knowles are both native Mainers who agree that cheese makes even the worst days better. They fell in love at a beekeeping conference and joined culinary and creative forces through recipes, photography, and writing. They also work as restaurant consultants through the B Frame. Josh’s career has taken him throughout cheese capitals such as Switzerland, Italy, and Vermont; his favorite cheese is Cabot Clothbound. Maggie has written about food, theater, and parenting; her current favorite cheese is Big Sky Grana. When not eating, they are tending to their chickens, bees, small dogs, and big teenagers.
