Mario Matassa’s recipe for tagliatelle con ricotta e noci is a tasty early winter treat that can be found in restaurants across Italy
Serves 2
Preparation time 15 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes
Ingredients:
• 160g egg tagliatelle
• 100g walnut halves
• 150g fresh ricotta
• 2-3 tbsp whole milk
• 2 tbsp Parmesan
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
1 Place the walnuts, reserving 1 tbsp of them, in a large pestle and pound to a fine paste.
2 Add the ricotta and milk, then mix together well.
3 Season, then set aside until needed.
4 Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and add the tagliatelle. Cook according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Drain.
5 Place the tagliatelle back into the saucepan and add the ricotta and walnut sauce, followed by the Parmesan. Season.
6 Roughly crush the remaining walnuts, then scatter over the pasta just before serving.
TIP If you do not have a pestle, you can chop the walnuts in a food processor or place them in a plastic food bag and bash with a rolling pin.
You can find more Italian recipes from foraged foods here
And there are plenty more delicious Italian-inspired recipes here