Penne in Creamy Basil-Walnut Sauce

Essentially a pesto made with walnuts instead of pine nuts, this hearty sauce is a specialty in the Tuscan countryside. Thickening the sauce with milk-soaked bread cuts down on both olive oil and cheese. The sauce will darken quickly, so process the pesto just before serving.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)

Ingredients

• 2  (1/2-ounce) slices white bread
• 1/2  cup  fat-free milk
• 2  cups  loosely packed basil leaves
• 1/2  cup  coarsely chopped walnuts
• 2  tablespoons  grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese
• 1  tablespoon  extravirgin olive oil
• 3/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1  garlic clove, peeled
• 1  pound  uncooked penne rigate pasta
• Chopped parsley (optional)

Preparation

Trim crusts from bread. Place bread in a shallow dish; pour milk over bread. Let stand 5 minutes. Place bread mixture in a food processor; add basil and next 6 ingredients (basil through garlic). Set aside without processing.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 3 tablespoons cooking liquid. Place pasta in a large bowl. Add reserved cooking liquid to basil mixture in food processor, and process until smooth. Add the pesto to pasta; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

378 (23% from fat)

Fat:

9.6g (sat 1.5g,mono 2.6g,poly 4.3g)

Protein:

13.6g

Carbohydrate:

61.1g

Fiber:

3.7g

Cholesterol:

3mg

Iron:

3.3mg

Sodium:

365mg

Calcium:

95mg