ReTubeIt
Italian

Pasta with Cheese and Walnuts

A delicious pasta recipe using leftover cheeses from your fridge, combined with crunchy walnuts, fresh basil, and cream. Chef Max Mariola shows how to transform forgotten cheese pieces into a creamy, indulgent sauce.

Ingredients

9 items
  • Fresh CreamFresh cream, do not let it boil
  • GorgonzolaUse a generous amount, leftover piece
  • TominoA leftover Tomino that had become hard; remove any mold
  • FontinaA piece of leftover Fontina
  • Parmigiano ReggianoGrate over the finished dish
  • WalnutsWhole walnuts, preferably not pre-shelled to avoid rancid taste
  • BasilFresh basil leaves, added at the end
  • Mezza ManicaGragnano PGI pasta, slow-dried, cook 13 minutes
  • SaltFor pasta water

Method

  1. Gather your leftover cheeses (Tomino, Fontina, Gorgonzola, Parmigiano Reggiano) and walnuts.
  2. In a pan, pour fresh cream and add the cheeses (Gorgonzola first, then Tomino, and any other leftover cheese). Stir gently over low heat, never letting the cream boil.
  3. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the mezza manica pasta for 13 minutes.
  4. While the pasta cooks, crack the walnuts and remove the shells. Toast the walnut kernels in a separate dry pan until fragrant.
  5. When the pasta is al dente, drain it and add it to the cheese cream.
  6. Add the Fontina cheese and mix until melted.
  7. Add the toasted walnuts and stir.
  8. Turn off the heat and add fresh basil leaves.
  9. Grate Parmigiano Reggiano over the top.
  10. Serve immediately.