With walnuts, create different kind of pesto (Joe Gray, 6/23/10, Tribune Newspapers)

Adapted from "Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy."

2 cups walnut halves or pieces, toasted

2 cloves garlic

1 1/2 cups ricotta, preferably fresh, drained

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated grana padano or Parmesan, plus more for passing

3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 teaspoon coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 pound fettuccine

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1 Heat a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, put the walnuts and garlic in a food processor; pulse until the nuts are chopped into tiny bits (but don't grind them to a powder). Scrape the mixture into a large bowl; stir in the ricotta, oil, grated cheese, parsley, salt and pepper to taste until blended.

2 Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente, about 12 minutes; drain, reserving some of the cooking water. Drop pasta into the bowl with the pesto; dot pasta with dollops of the butter. Toss until pasta is coated with the pesto; if it is too thick, loosen it with a bit of the reserved pasta water as you toss.