Baked Fusilli with Potato and Walnut Pesto, Gratinated with Provola
A tasty rustic baked main dish, typical of homemade cuisine. Simple and super easy recipe, which can also be prepared in advance.
The fusilli are a type of artisanal curly pasta, originating from southern Italy, that take on a helical spindle shape.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 3 Minutes
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 5 servings
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for Baked Fusilli with Potato and Walnut Pesto, Gratinated with Provola
- 1.1 lbs fusilli (or other short pasta)
- 14 oz potatoes (yellow-fleshed, already peeled and mashed, about 4)
- 8 walnut halves
- 7 oz smoked bacon (diced)
- 2 oz parmesan (diced)
- 1 green onion (or 2 shallots)
- 7 oz smoked provola (diced)
- 1.7 oz extra virgin olive oil (for the pesto)
- 1 oz extra virgin olive oil (for the pan)
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper (optional)
- to taste parsley (optional)
- to taste breadcrumbs
- to taste grated parmesan (for gratin)
- to taste dry white wine
Tools
- Bowl
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Mixer
- Pots
- Pan
- Baking Dish
- Mezzaluna
Steps for Baked Fusilli with Potato and Walnut Pesto, Gratinated with Provola
Wash the potatoes well and boil them with a pinch of coarse salt, covered with cold water (with the lid) on high heat until boiling, then once it reaches boiling, lower the heat and cook for half an hour (without lid). Then peel and dice them coarsely.
Place the potato cubes in a mixer and add the diced parmesan, walnut halves, parsley, salt, pepper, and 1.7 oz of quality extra virgin olive oil and blend everything in intervals, reducing the mixture to a cream.
Take a pot to cook the pasta, pour in some water, add coarse salt and bring to a boil.
In the meantime, take a non-stick pan, add about 1 oz of extra virgin olive oil, the green onion (or shallots), and as soon as it turns golden (if desired, deglaze with a bit of dry white wine) add the bacon and let it season for another 5 minutes on a low flame. Then pour the potato and walnut pesto into the pan with the bacon and a tablespoon of breadcrumbs and let it season for two minutes.
Cook the pasta al dente (half the cooking time indicated on the package) then pour it into the pan with the potato pest and bacon and let it season for two minutes with a small ladle of pasta cooking water (it will help make it creamier). Turn off the heat, add the diced smoked provola and mix well.
Take a baking dish, grease it well with oil and plenty of breadcrumbs, pour in the fusilli with potato pesto and sprinkle the surface with breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, and a drizzle of oil.
Bake the dish in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes, until the surface is well gratinated. Remove from the oven, let it rest for 2 minutes, and finally serve the dish hot and stringy.
Shopping Tips!!!
I prepared the recipe with these artisanal fusilli , bronze drawn and slow dried, you can find them on Amazon. #adv
I baked the pasta in this Irresistible Pyrex dish made of borosilicate glass: 100% natural and hygienic material, ideal for cooking in the oven up to 572°F. It withstands thermal shocks and can go directly from the freezer at – 4°F to the oven at 464°F. #adv
I also used this practical and very useful Mezzaluna with two blades to quickly and effortlessly chop fresh herbs, onions, garlic, nuts, chocolate, walnuts, and much more. #adv
To blend the pesto, I used the very convenient chopper attachment of my Braun MultiQuick 7 hand blender, which you can purchase at a special price on Amazon by clicking HERE. #adv
Read my review for GialloZafferano on the hand blender Braun MQ9045 MultiQuick 9
