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Walnut Cream Sauce

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on January 7, 2013

Time

25 minutes

Yield

Serves 4 to 6 (Makes 2 cups, enough for 1 lb pasta)

Walnut Cream Sauce

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (6 ounces) walnuts ¾ cup dry white wine ½ cup heavy cream 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)¼ teaspoon table salt ½ teaspoon black pepper ¼ cup minced fresh chives

Instructions

  1. Toast walnuts in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Process 1 cup walnuts in food processor until finely ground, about 10 seconds. Transfer to small bowl. Pulse remaining ½ cup walnuts in food processor until coarsely chopped, 3 to 5 pulses. Bring wine to simmer in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat; cook until reduced to ¼ cup, about 3 minutes. Whisk in cream, walnuts, Parmesan, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.
  2. To serve, return pan to medium heat. Add pasta, ½ cup reserved cooking water, and chives; toss to combine, adding remaining cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste; serve immediately.
Walnut Cream Sauce
Photography by Daniel J. van Ackere. Styling by Daniel Cellucci.

Walnut Cream Sauce

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

25 minutes

Yield

Serves 4 to 6 (Makes 2 cups, enough for 1 lb pasta)

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (6 ounces) walnuts
¾ cup dry white wine
½ cup heavy cream
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)
¼ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup minced fresh chives

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (6 ounces) walnuts
¾ cup dry white wine
½ cup heavy cream
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)
¼ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup minced fresh chives

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (6 ounces) walnuts
¾ cup dry white wine
½ cup heavy cream
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)
¼ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup minced fresh chives

Why This Recipe Works

This nutty sauce gets its rich character from cream, toasted walnuts, and Parmesan. We process some of the walnuts to a fine powder to add body, and then add white wine and chives for bright balance.

Instructions

  1. Toast walnuts in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Process 1 cup walnuts in food processor until finely ground, about 10 seconds. Transfer to small bowl. Pulse remaining ½ cup walnuts in food processor until coarsely chopped, 3 to 5 pulses. Bring wine to simmer in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat; cook until reduced to ¼ cup, about 3 minutes. Whisk in cream, walnuts, Parmesan, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.
  2. To serve, return pan to medium heat. Add pasta, ½ cup reserved cooking water, and chives; toss to combine, adding remaining cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste; serve immediately.

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