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Creamy Penne Pasta with Walnuts Recipe

My husband says I'm spoiling him when I prepare this recipe. Crunchy walnuts are a wonderful complement to the creamy sauce. You can serve this as an entree or side.—Cheryl Strahm, St. Louis, Missouri

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Creamy Penne Pasta with Walnuts Recipe

Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Yield: 7 Servings

15 15 30

Ingredients

3 cups uncooked penne pasta
1 small onion, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon brandy
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add the walnuts, garlic, salt, pepper flakes and pepper; saute 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat.
Stir in brandy; cook over medium heat until liquid is evaporated. Stir in cream; bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat; cook for 4-6 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.
Drain pasta; toss pasta and parsley with cream sauce. Garnish with cheese if desired. Yield: 7 servings.

Nutritional Facts 3/4 cup (calculated without cheese) equals 475 calories, 32 g fat (10 g saturated fat), 47 mg cholesterol, 185 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 9 g protein.

Originally published as Creamy Penne Pasta with Walnuts in Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2011, p166

Storing Pasta

I store all my pastas in canning jars rather than the opened boxes. The pasta stays fresher, and the jars stack nicely, too, conserving pantry space. When I’m preparing my grocery list, I can see what I need at a glance. —Laurie S., Gettysburg, Pennsylvania