Salsa di pistacchi

20 minutes Serves 4 ■ EASY

pistachios 100g, unsalted
ricotta 80g
parmesan 75g, grated
smoked speck 25g
spring onions white part of 4, chopped
extra-virgin olive oil 100ml
butter for frying
short pasta such as penne, rigatoni, maccheroni or fusilli

■ Parboil two thirds of the pistachios, discarding any papery skin. Lightly toast and finely crush the remainder. Cook the spring onions with the speck in a little butter till soft but not coloured. Blitz the parboiled nuts with the spring onions, speck and a little of the oil in a food processor, then stir the resulting paste, crushed nuts, parmesan and remainder of the extra-virgin olive into the ricotta.
■ Cook the pasta and drain, leaving a little of the cooking water in the saucepan. Stir in the pistachio sauce and serve with more grated parmesan.

Salsa di pistacchi