Linguine alle Noci (Linguine with Walnut Sauce)

A recipe by Mario Batali, I found it while looking for something a bit different to serve for a New Year's eve dinner. It was an instant hit. It's a snap to make, and one of my family's favorite meatless meals.

Serves 6

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup toasted hard bread crumbs*
1 cup roughly chopped walnuts
1 tbsp hot red pepper flakes
1 pound linguine
1/2 cup roughly chopped Italian parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino romano

* Batali means homemade breadcrumbs. I toast 2 slices of wheat bread then reduce them to coarse crumbs in my food processor.

Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tbsp kosher salt. In a 14 to l6″ frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat till smoking. Add the garlic and cook until light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add half of
the bread crumbs, the walnuts, and pepper flakes and cook until lightly toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions until 1 minute short of al dente. Just before draining the pasta, add 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water to the pan with the walnut mixture. Drain the pasta in a colander and pour the pasta into the pan with the walnut mixture.

Place the pan over medium heat and continue cooking the pasta with the walnut mixture until the pasta is lightly dressed with the condiment, about 1 minute. Add the parsley and grated cheese, stir through. Pour into serving bowl, sprinkle with extra chopped walnuts, parsley and the remaining bread crumbs, and serve immediately