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Vegetarian, Italy

Pansoti with walnut sauce

Pansoti with walnut sauce is a Ligurian dish of herb and ricotta ravioli coated in a creamy walnut and parmesan sauce. This recipe serves 4, takes 35 minutes, is rated easy, and costs €3.00 per person. The key is a well loosened sauce and ravioli cooked in barely simmering water, never a hard boil.

I'm suggesting a dish from Liguria, pansoti, those herb and ricotta ravioli, in a delicate walnut cream.

Pansoti with walnut sauce
Total time
35 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.00
Calories per person
700 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter

Pansoti are small triangular ravioli stuffed with herbs and ricotta, a specialty from Liguria. Their traditional sauce skips tomato and cream entirely, relying instead on crushed walnuts softened with bread soaked in milk. The result is surprisingly gentle, balancing the faint crunch of walnuts against the soft, herby filling.

This works for a calm weeknight dinner just as well as for guests who enjoy Italian cooking beyond the usual carbonara. Fresh ravioli keep things quick, and the sauce only needs a food processor and a few minutes. Mon Chou suggests this recipe when you want a change from your usual pasta without extra fuss.

The ingredients

4 people

Dairy

  • Fresh pansoti or herb and ricotta ravioli 500 g
  • Milk 10 cl
  • Grated parmesan 40 g

Pantry

  • Walnut halves 100 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Dried marjoramoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Sandwich bread 2 slices

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 1 cloves

Allergens Gluten, Eggs, Lactose, Tree nuts

The step by step recipe

  1. Soak the sandwich bread in the milk, then press out the excess liquid.

    The bread binds the sauce the same way breadcrumbs do in the Ligurian recipe.

  2. Blend the walnuts with the bread, garlic, marjoram, olive oil, half the parmesan, salt, and pepper.

    Remove the skin from blanched walnuts if they taste bitter.

  3. Loosen the sauce with a little hot water until it reaches a creamy consistency.

    It should coat the back of a spoon without running off.

  4. Cook the ravioli in gently simmering salted water until they float to the surface. 4 min

    Keep the water at a bare simmer, a hard boil will tear the ravioli.

  5. Drain gently and coat with the walnut sauce, topped with the remaining parmesan.

    A drizzle of raw olive oil on top adds shine.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick walnuts you bought recently, they turn rancid fast and make the sauce bitter once the bag has been open a few months.
  • Always save a splash of the ravioli cooking water before draining, it can loosen a sauce that turned out too thick.
  • Taste the sauce before coating the ravioli, the marjoram and garlic should stay in the background, not take over the dish.

The variations

  • Swap the walnuts for lightly toasted hazelnuts for a rounder, less bitter sauce.
  • For a gluten free version, use pansoti made with gluten free flour, the walnut sauce stays the same.
  • To save time, blend the sauce directly in a bowl with an immersion blender instead of crushing everything by hand.

What to serve it with

  • A lemony arugula salad
  • A glass of Ligurian white wine
  • Garlicky sautéed greens

Storage

The walnut sauce keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, best made separately from the pansoti if you want to prep ahead. Cooked pansoti are best eaten the same day, since they dry out and stick together as they cool. Reheat the sauce gently with a little hot water to bring back its creamy texture.

Questions about this dish

Can you use other ravioli instead of pansoti?

Yes, classic ricotta and spinach ravioli work well with this walnut sauce. Just keep the filling mild so it doesn't overpower the walnut flavor.

Do you need to peel the walnuts before blending?

It's not required, but the thin skin on walnuts can add bitterness. If you have time, blanch the walnuts briefly to remove the skin more easily.

Can you make the walnut sauce ahead of time?

Yes, make the sauce a day ahead and store it in a sealed container in the fridge. Loosen it with a little hot water before serving, since it thickens as it cools.

Why does the sauce include soaked bread?

Bread soaked in milk binds the sauce and makes it smoother without needing cream. It's a traditional Ligurian trick that also keeps the sauce from feeling too heavy.

How long does it take to make pansoti with walnut sauce?

Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in pansoti with walnut sauce?

About 700 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does pansoti with walnut sauce cost?

About €3.00 per serving, or €12.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, eggs, lactose, tree nuts. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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