White Pesto Pasta

Although the verdant green Pesto Alla Genovese is what likely first comes to mind when one thinks of pesto, Italy is host to tons of pesto varieties. Pesto translates to “to crush” or “to pound,” so the only technical requirement for a pesto to be a pesto is for the ingredients to be crushed. Traditionally, this was done in Italy with a mortar and pestle – but we turn to the trusty food processor for our pestos.

This creamy and flavorful spin on pesto has a base of toasted walnuts, ricotta and Parmesan. Use your favorite olive oil for this, as the flavor will stand out! Garlic and lemon give it a boost of bright flavor, and the result is about as decadent as a no-cook alfredo sauce.

This is delicious tossed with pasta as we have written in the recipe, but this sauce would be excellent on crostini, pizza, or used as a bed of sauce underneath roasted or grilled veggies.

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