Cavolo and Walnut Pasta

I’m normally the first person to be pawing at the parmesan as soon as a plate of pasta is popped down in front of me, but some dishes truly do not need it, and this is one of them. The sauce gets a nutty, savouriness from the walnuts, and radioactive vibrancy from the cavolo nero. Other greens would work here in other seasons too.

Serves 3

30g walnuts, plus 10g for garnish

2 cloves of garlic

100g cavolo nero 

handful of parsley leaves

pinch of chilli flakes

pinch of nutmeg

250g pasta

½ lemon

salt, pepper and olive oil

1. Pour boiling water over 30g of walnuts in a bowl. Leave to sit.

2. Remove the stems from your cavolo nero, then finely chop the leaves.

3. Heat a saute pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil, then add your garlic. Fry for a minute until fragrant, then add your cavolo nero. Cook down for 5 mins until wilted.

4. Toast your remaining walnuts in a dry frying pan until fragrant, then roughly chop.

5. Get your pasta on to boil in salted water.

6. Drain your walnuts. Add the contents of your cavolo nero pan to a blender, along with the walnuts, your parsley, chilli flakes and nutmeg. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp water, then whizz until smooth. Add a little more water if you need.

7. Pour your sauce back in the pan, then add a ladle of your pasta water. Drain your pasta, then add this to the pan. Mix to combine, then squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

8. Tong your pasta onto plates, then sprinkle with your extra walnuts. Eat up.