Spinach Tagliatelle with Walnut Sauce

The walnut sauce is an ancient recipe but it has become gentler over the years losing some strength of the garlic flavour.  In the Italian region of Liguria, it is still thickened with white bread.

20 walnut kernels (250g)

30g pine nuts

2 slices of white bread (crust removed)

3 tablespoons milk

1 small clove of garlic

75g ricotta

45ml extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon marjoram leaves, chopped

Salt and pepper

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the walnut a few at a time to form a paste.  Soak the bread with milk and squeeze it out, then add it to the mortar with the walnuts and pound.

Add the pine nuts and garlic and keep pounding until it becomes a paste.

Transfer the paste to a bowl, add the ricotta and mix with a spoon to amalgamate.

Add the olive oil and marjoram, season to taste with salt and pepper, mix well set aside until you are ready to add to your cooked Spinach Tagliatelle.

Garnish with a few leaves of Marjoram  – I get mine fresh from my Bruna’s Italian garden