Pasta with Walnut Meat and Avocado
Chickpea pasta tossed with a roasted walnut-pecan crumble made from sun-dried tomatoes, shallots, and garlic, finished with fresh avocado, sun-dried tomato oil, and Grana Padano. The nut mixture offers a hearty texture and savory depth while the avocado provides creamy richness.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ oz sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 clove garlic, peeled
- 1 slice gluten-free bread, cut into small piecesregular bread1:1bread
adds gluten
- 3 ½ oz nuts, walnuts and pecans mixed
- 1 oz pine nuts
- 1 ½ tsp oregano
- salt, to taste(optional)
- pepper, to taste(optional)
- 4 ½ oz chickpea pastaregular wheat pasta1:1gluten-free
removes gluten-free status
- 1 ½ tbsp oil from sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 avocados, peeled and diced
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ cups Grana Padano cheese, grated
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2
Peel and finely chop shallots and garlic. Cut bread into small pieces.
- 3
Pulse sun-dried tomatoes, shallots, garlic, bread, nuts, pine nuts, 1.5 tsp oregano, salt, and pepper in a food processor until coarse. Leave some texture and bite if desired, or blend longer for finer consistency.
- 4
Spread nut mixture on parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes in the middle of the oven, stirring halfway through. Watch closely; move rack lower if browning too quickly.
- 5
Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil and cook chickpea pasta according to package directions.
- 6
Peel and dice avocados into small cubes.
- 7
Drain pasta and stir in sun-dried tomato oil, pepper, salt, and 0.5 tsp oregano.
- 8
Toss pasta with roasted nut mixture and avocado. Serve topped with grated Grana Padano.
Tips
Stir the nut mixture halfway through roasting to ensure even browning.
If the mixture browns too quickly, lower the oven rack to prevent burning.
Pulse the nut mixture to coarse consistency for better texture; blend longer if you prefer finer crumble.
Good to Know
Store nut mixture in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Avoid adding avocado until serving.
Prepare and roast the nut mixture up to 1 day ahead. Cook pasta and prepare avocado just before serving.
Serve immediately at room temperature or warm. Top generously with grated Grana Padano.
Common Mistakes
Do not over-blend the nut mixture to avoid losing texture and bite.
Do not add avocado to the dish until just before serving to prevent browning.
Do not skip stirring the nut mixture halfway through roasting to avoid uneven browning or burning.
Substitutions
Gluten-Free Swaps
removes gluten-free status
General Alternatives
similar fat content and earthiness
adds gluten