Creamy Shells with Cheese & Nuts
Submitted by ditto1973
Pasta shells with mascarpone, parmesan, and toasted walnuts. A 20-minute Italian pasta with a luxurious cream sauce and a nutty crunch in every spoonful.
YIELD
3 servingsPREP
5 minCOOK
15 minREADY
20 minThis pasta shells dish is the kind of weeknight Italian that feels fancier than the effort required. Cooked al dente shells get tossed in melted butter and silky mascarpone, then finished with sharp parmesan and a generous handful of toasted walnuts for crunch.
No flour, no roux, no long simmer. The mascarpone is the sauce, melting smoothly into the warm pasta and clinging to the shell ridges so every bite carries cheese and a bit of nut.
Chef Tips
- Cook the pasta a minute shy of al dente. It will finish in the warm sauce and shouldn’t go past tender.
- Reserve a half cup of pasta water before draining. A splash loosens the sauce if it tightens up too much.
- Don’t let the mascarpone boil. High heat splits it and the silky texture turns grainy. Warm gently and remove from the heat as you toss.
- Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet for 3 to 4 minutes before chopping. The flavor difference between raw and toasted is significant.
- Use a fireproof or oven-safe serving dish if possible. The residual heat keeps the sauce silky from kitchen to table.
Variations
- Swap walnuts for toasted pine nuts or chopped hazelnuts for a different nutty profile.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage or a pinch of nutmeg for a classic Northern Italian touch.
- Add a handful of arugula or wilted spinach at the end for color and a peppery contrast.
Ingredients
Directions
Cook pasta to the al dente stage; drain.
Melt butter in a fireproof serving dish. Add the mascarpone cheese (or whipping cream) but do not let boil. Add cooked pasta to the warm mascarpone mixture, coating it well. Add the parmesan cheese and chopped walnuts.
Serve with extra parmesan to taste.
Comments
I like the recipe, but found it bland so I added the onions I had cooked with sausage and that tasted amazing.
I definitely agree with you, the recipe sounds a little bland, and adding onions cooked with sausage would bring lots of flavor, good idea!
I added sea salt, and chopped pickled jalapeno's