Mushroom, Parmesan and Walnut Pasta
I’ve wanted to try walnuts with pasta for a while now, ever since I saw Nigella Lawson's recipe for walnut pasta, and this dish is inspired by that recipe. Toasting the walnuts really enhances their nuttiness and they’ve worked fantastically here with the mushrooms, garlic, cheese and bacon. The dish is substantial enough without the bacon, so you could easily omit it for a vegetarian version. I really can’t tell you how good this is, it’s great for winter; full of texture, warming and comforting.
Mushroom, Parmesan and Walnut Pasta
Ingredients
1 crushed garlic clove
2 -3 handfuls of thickly sliced mushrooms
4-6 tablespoons of mascarpone (or other cream cheese)
A handful of grated Parmesan cheese
A few handfuls of chopped walnuts
2 rashes of chopped bacon (optional)
Salt and pepper
1. Toast the walnuts in a non-stick dry pan, shaking the pan now and then, until they start to darken a little and you can smell their aroma. Set aside.
2. Fry the bacon, if using, and the mushrooms in a little olive oil until almost cooked through, then add the garlic and fry, stirring, until the bacon and mushrooms are cooked.
3. Stir in the mascarpone cheese and season well with salt and pepper.
4. Take the pan off the heat and stir in a handful or so of grated parmesan cheese to taste.
5. Stir the sauce through cooked pasta, adding a little of the pasta water to the sauce to loosen it if necessary.
6. Sprinkle over the toasted walnuts and grate over some more parmesan cheese
Serves 2
10 comments:
This sounds absolutely wonderful, Julia. I can't wait to try it. Arizona is finally having some rainy, chilly weather and I'm ready for exactly this dish. Thanks for the great idea!
Oh Julia. This looks fantastic. I can almost smell the toasted walnuts and cheese from here. I love pastas because they are so simple and quick to make yet so delicious and satisfying.
Wow! This sounds like an absolutely delicious! I am going to have keep this one close to the hip!
Julia, what fun. I have been making Nigella's roast chicken from the Venetian ghetto for comfort food. Chicken torn apart with the hands, rubbed with olive oil and served over tagliatelle with roasted pinenuts and raisins. I was looking for a new recipe. This is perfect. Thanks for posting.
Chris, sounds like the perfect weather for this dish!
Greg, I couldn't agree more!
Chris, yes a good one to have up your sleave!
Italian Woman, I've just replied to you over on the forums, I really like the look of that Nigella dish, just not sure about the raisins. I must try it now.
Guys if you try this you must let me know what you think!
Why, oh WHY, will my husband not eat walnuts?? How can someone so wonderful have such a major character flaw? This looks fantastic, the idea of nuts with pasta intrigues me, and yet if I made it, I would eat alone. *Sigh* Thanks for sharing, though--perhaps I'll tuck this aside until the blinders are struck from his eyes and he comes 'round on walnuts.
Hi Julia,
I tried this on Monday - delicious it was too. One to add to the recipe repertoire!
TD, this isn't to my husband's taste either, so I made it just for me! I think you should too :-)
Schmoofaloof, I'm so glad you liked it!
This dish looks great! Definitely a must-try = )
And by the way, I think your blog is lovely.
I love pasta with mushrooms and walnuts!! Now I'll know the more "civilized" recipe, with mascarpone cheese :) thank you!
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