Chilli and crushed walnut rigatoni

Name: Chilli and crushed walnut rigatoni
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 300 g (10½ oz) walnut halves; 1 teaspoon thyme leaves; 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese; ½ garlic clove, crushed; 1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped; 350 g (12 oz) dried rigatoni pasta or similar short pasta shapes; 2 heaped tablespoons mascarpone cheese

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
30 min

Appears in

Vegetarian

By Alice Hart

Published 2018

About

Rigatoni is a ridged, tube-shaped pasta that goes perfectly with this comforting walnut sauce. It’s not chilli hot, merely warm and toasty, making it the perfect fast food for a crisp autumn night. Serve the pasta with a pile of buttery spinach on the side if you wish.

Ingredients

300 g (10½ oz) walnut halves
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil</

Main course
Dinner
Vegetarian
Autumn

Method

Toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan, tossing often until golden and fragrant. Tip onto a chopping board and, when cool enough, roughly chop. Some nuts should be very fine, and some larger.

Place the olive oil, chilli and garlic in a cold frying pan and heat gently so the garlic doesn’t colour. After 1–2 minutes, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the thyme, followed by the mascarpo