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Ingredients

  • Casarecce or strozzapreti pasta (or another short pasta shape)
  • 100g Walnuts
  • 3 Roasted red peppers, roughly chopped
  • 25g Parmesan (or a vegetarian alternative), plus extra to serve
  • 1 Clove of garlic, roughly chopped
  • A bunch of fresh basil, plus a few leaves to serve
  • 2tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
  • 50g Mascarpone (check it's pasteurised)

Method

  • STEP 1

    Cook the pasta according to the pack instructions.

  • STEP 2

    Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in a dry pan for a few minutes.

  • STEP 3

    Add half the walnuts to the small bowl of a food processor or a hand chopper, along with the red peppers, Parmesan, garlic, basil, oil and some seasoning. Whizz to a paste, adding a splash of water from the pasta if it is a little dry.

  • STEP 4

    Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pan and set over a low heat.

  • STEP 5

    Add the pesto, mascarpone and 3 to 4 tbsp of the reserved pasta water, then stir until the mascarpone has melted, adding a splash more pasta water if the sauce needs thinning.

  • STEP 6

    To serve, crush the remaining walnuts in your hand and scatter over the pasta with a few more basil leaves and some extra Parmesan.

Recipe taken from BBC Good Food, home to thousands of kid-friendly recipes.

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