Pasta with Salsa di Noci and Spring Vegetables

2 cloves garlic, lightly chopped

1 1/3 cups walnuts

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp red wine vinegar

salt

freshly ground pepper

1lb spring vegetables cut into 1 1/2” pieces. Try blanched asparagus or fava beans or raw snap peas, or a blend of all!

1lb Semolina Artisanal Pasta

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.

Meanwhile, mash the garlic cloves in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt until they make a smooth paste. Add the walnuts and mash until creamy. Slowly stir in olive oil until you have a smooth sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste, and then stir in a tsp of red wine vinegar for brightness.

When the water is boiling, add your pasta and give a quick stir. Cook until al dente—I start checking the pasta at 5 minutes until it is cooked through but still firm. Artisan pasta has a wider variation in cook times because we buy smaller quantities of Semolina, and each lot of flour has varying moisture and protein, all of which affect the cook time.

When the pasta is ready, drain, reserving a little pasta water. Add pasta to the salsa di noci and cooked or raw vegetables, adding a little pasta water as needed to help coat.

Serve immediately.