Pasta with Walnut Pesto

1. Preparation

Gather all the ingredients: pasta, walnuts, garlic, fresh basil, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Measure out 100g of walnuts, 150g of fresh basil, and 50g of Parmesan cheese.

Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic.

Zest and juice half a lemon.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

2. Cooking Pasta

Once the water is boiling, add 200g of your choice of pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.

Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.

3. Making Walnut Pesto

In a food processor, combine the walnuts, garlic, and half of the fresh basil leaves.

Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped.

Add the remaining basil, grated Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in 100ml of olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

If the pesto is too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time until desired consistency is reached.

4. Combining

In the pot used for the pasta, add the drained pasta and walnut pesto.

Toss until the pasta is well coated with the pesto.

If necessary, add more reserved pasta water to achieve the right consistency.

5. Serving

Plate the pasta in serving bowls.

Garnish with extra grated Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

Serve immediately with additional lemon wedges on the side.