I really love sharing recipes that are flavorful, good for you and so easy to make. This one fits the bill. Pasta doesn’t always have to be heavy, with filling sauces. This one only has only a few ingredients, many of which you may have on hand right now. It is courtesy of Ellie Krieger of the Food Network.
Pasta with Parsley and Walnuts
12 oz (3/4 of a box) of whole-wheat fettuccine
2/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts. 2 tbsp reserved to garnish
1/4 cup olive oil
5 cloves minced garlic
1/2 low sodium chicken stock (I use veggie stock)
1/2 cup chopped parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cups gently packed arugula leaves
To make:
Cook the pasta to al dente, according to the instruction of the box, then drain. Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in small dry skillet over med-high heat, stirring frequently, about 3-5 minutes.
In the pot that you boiled the pasta in, heat the olive oil over low heat, add the garlic and stir for 3-4 minutes (do not let it burn). Return the pasta to the pot, add the broth, all but 2 tablespoons of the walnuts, the parsley, salt and pepper and toss to combine over low heat for 1 -2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan and toss.
Arrange 1/2 cup on arugula leaves on each of 4 serving bowls. Top each with about 2 cups of the pasta. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, walnuts and more parsley.
Whole-wheat pasta, in my opinion, has come along way in texture and taste. Personally, I like to use both traditional white pasta and whole-wheat pasta, depending on the dish, though purists and Italiani veri (true Italians) like my blog buddy Joe over at Italyville are boycotting the whole-wheat stuff.
What are your thoughts? Do you have a preference?