Cooking time: 1/2 - 3/4 hour
ingredients
serves 4
3/4 pound tagliatelle
1 tablespoon salt
1/3 cup butter
for the sauce
grated Parmesan cheese
4 - 6 sprigs fresh marjoram or 6 - 8 sprigs fresh parsley
1 cup shelled walnuts
1/2 cup thick cream
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt freshly ground black pepper
method
1. Pick the leaves off the marjoram sprigs (or remove parsley heads from the stalks) and chop them finely or snip with scissors.
2. Grind the walnuts to a paste in a coffee mill or blender with the marjoram or parsley leaves. If you do not have a blender, chop the nuts, then pound them to a paste with a pestle in a mortar — the paste need not be completely smooth.
3. Add the cream slowly, blending it in thoroughly. The result should be a fairly soft, pale green paste. Work in just enough oil to make the sauce like a soft puree. Season the sauce and set aside.
4. Cook the tagliatelle in plenty of boiling salted water, adding 1 tablespoon of the butter, for 6 - 9 minutes until cooked but still firm.
5. Toss the drained pasta in the remaining butter. Put the pasta on a heated serving dish, and spoon the sauce over it. Pass the cheese separately.
more information
This beautiful, creamy sauce makes an excellent dressing for boiled turnips.
