Wholewheat pasta with Ricotta and walnuts

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Cook the wholewheat pasta as per packet instructions in boiling salted water.

3. Line a baking tray with parchment, scatter over the walnuts and place in the oven for 5-10 minutes until slightly toasted. Turn them halfway through cooking. When toasted, take them out of the oven and leave to cool.

4. In a pestle and mortar, crush the walnuts with the garlic cloves, salt and pepper until very well pulverised and becoming almost cream like. Scoop out of the mortar and in a bowl, vigorously combine the walnut/garlic mix with the Ricotta, lemon juice, zest and olive oil. Lastly mix in the Parmesan and check the seasoning, a good crack of black pepper is always welcome. 

5. Combine with the wholewheat pasta, which can either be freshly cooked and hot or else left cold, this dish works well both ways. If you leave the pasta to cool, make sure you drizzle the pasta with olive oil to prevent sticking together.