Fettuccine with Walnut Pesto

I still remember my first attempt at making my own pesto - I was living in Pakistan at the time and had succeeded in growing basil plants from seeds. As the plants grew I realized that I would very likely get a bumper crop of basil (something I haven't been able to repeat since then) and wondered how I could use it. I looked through one of my Italian cookbooks and found a basic recipe for pesto. After purchasing olive oil, Parmesan cheese and pine nuts a the local market I prepared my first badge of Pesto alla Genovese. I have since experimented with various ingredients substituting walnuts for pine nuts and using Pecorino instead of Parmesan. The following recipe uses walnuts, resulting in a nuttier taste and a slightly different texture. Use only the freshest ingredients for this flavorful pesto.

Ingredients:

3.5 oz walnuts
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
6 oz basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 pinch peperoncino flakes
3 tbsp each grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino
10 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
fettuccine

• Toast the walnuts at 180 degree Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes and break into smaller pieces (reserve a couple of pieces for garnish).
• Wash herbs and tear into pieces (try to remove stems as much as possible).
• Peel and slice garlic. Grind herbs, garlic, peperoncino and toasted nuts in food processor adding the olive oil and grated cheese until you have the desired consistency.
• Season with salt and pepper and pour into a clean bowl.
• Cook fettuccine until al dente. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water.
• Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the cooking water to the pesto. Mix thoroughly.
• Place pasta on individual plates and top with several tablespoons of pesto. Garnish with additional walnuts and some extra cheese on the side. 

I like to serve a tomato and red onion salad as a side dish.

Serves 3-4

Risotto di Farro

Farro is one of my favorite grains - it is very versatile, you can use it for soups, salads and risotto. I love the nutty flavor and slightly chewy texture of the kernels. The recipe below is a delicious risotto which I serve with an arugula or mixed salad.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium-sized red onion, diced
1 cup farro
1/2 cup red wine
5 cups hot chicken stock (try to keep the stock as hot as possible as you add it a little at a time)
1.5 cups red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
4 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces

• Heat olive oil in large non-stick frying pan on medium heat.
• Add red onions and saute for several minutes until translucent.
• Add farro and stir until combined. Pour in red wine and stir until wine is almost evaporated.
• Start adding hot stock, a little at a time. Stir regularly so that the farro doesn't stick or add more as the stock is absorbed. Continue this process until you have used up all of the stock. This will take approximately 30 - 40 minutes. 
• Add the halved cherry tomatoes about 10 minutes before the farro is done and stir the mixture regularly. Add parmesan cheese, basil and salt and pepper to taste. 

Serves 2-3