FOOD NEWS
Walnut Sauce Is A Wonderful Staple In The Italian Riviera
BY KYLE GRACE MILLS
From pesto to Bolognese, Italy is home to many delicious sauces, and an underrated gem is creamy salsa di noci, also known as Ligurian walnut sauce.
Hailing from Liguria on the Italian Riviera, salsa di noci eschews traditional Italian tomatoes and herbs in favor of walnuts, for a thick, creamy sauce with a rich, umami flavor.
The sauce is typically made with fresh walnuts ground into a paste along with cream- or milk-soaked bread, garlic, parmesan or Pecorino Romano, olive oil, and pasta water.
If you use dried walnuts to make this sauce, boil them before grinding. You can also add small quantities of flavorful ingredients like pine nuts, parsley, thyme, or marjoram.
The sauce is typically served with Genoa ravioli called pansotti. You can use any ravioli with a mild filling or some plain pasta, or serve the sauce as a dip with crostini.