Description
A creamy white sauce that’s ready in 5-10 mins. It’s a milk-based sauce that’s given body and texture by bread and walnuts. It’s an instant bechamel sauce if you will.
Scale
Ingredients
Creating the Sauce:
1 burger bun or 2 bread slices, roughly torn into cubes
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
½ cup pine nuts
¾ cup milk
2 garlic cloves
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
¼ cup olive oil plus 1 tsp. for roasting garlic
¼ cup finely grated parmersan or pecorino cheese
Pairing Sauce With Pasta:
36 frozen, store bought, spinach tortellini
Water, for boiling pasta
1/4 cup tarragon, chopped finely
Instructions
Creating the Sauce:
- Soak the bread in 3/4 cup milk for 5-10 mins. making sure all pieces are thoroughly submerged.
- Roast garlic in 1 tsp. olive oil for 30 secs. to 1 min.
- Blend all the ingredients under “Creating the Sauce” to a smooth puree–the soaked bread, 1 cup walnuts, 1/2 cup pine nuts, 3/4 cup milk, the roasted garlic glvoes, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. If necessary, add 1/4 cup more milk to get the consistency you desire. Its okay if the sauce is a little grainy from the nuts. It adds a nice texture.
Pairing Pasta With Sauce:
- Bring the water to a rolling boil
- Drop the tortellini in boiling water as per package instructions. Take it out 2 mins. before finishing time.
- For each serving, add a little pasta water to 4 tbsp. of the sauce and heat on med. for 2 mins.
- Add 6 tortellini to the sauce, cover and cook for 2 mins.
- Garnish with chopped tarragon.
- Repeat for the rest of the servings.
Notes
- If serving toddlers, I pair the pasta with strawberries and lightly seasoned butter beans for a complete meal.
- Alternatively, roast a few mushrooms or blanch some asparagus stalks and blend with the bread mixture. With a few simple steps, you’ve included veggies to the meal.
- If making less than 6 servings, freeze the rest of the sauce in ice cube molds.
- Cuisine: Italian