RECIPE: WALNUT RAGU PASTA

What a rich and robust sauce walnuts create, so satisfying and ‘meaty’. This recipe is an adaption from my cookbook of the Walnut Ragu Lasagne. You’ll need a food processor to create the walnut mince.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups walnuts

• 1 ½ slices of bread, broken into pieces

• 1 tablespoon stock powder (I like using Massel 'beef-style' stock)

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 crushed garlic clove

• handful of fresh parsley

• few drops of liquid smoke (optional)

• extra virgin olive oil

• 800g (approximately) tinned crushed tomatoes or passata

• few basil leaves (optional)

• salt and cracked black pepper to taste

• 350g fettuccine, rigatoni or other robust pasta shape

METHOD

• Into a large food processor, add the walnuts, bread, stock powder, garlic, parsley and liquid smoke, if using.

• Process until the mixture resembles fine mince crumbs.

• Into a fry pan, heat a few good glugs of the olive oil and add the walnut mince. Allow the mince to brown, stirring often to prevent from burning. You want a golden brown, toasted colour.

• Add the tomatoes and basil, if using, and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add dashes of water to prevent from drying out.

• Before turning off the heat, check the seasonings, adding a dash of salt and cracked black pepper.

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente.

• Transfer the cooked pasta through the ragu, adding a ladle or two of pasta cooking water to help loosen the sauce.

• Serve with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.