Description
Pasta: I used to always make this with 8 ounces of pasta, which really let’s the brown butter notes shine, but 8 ounces of pasta simply is not enough for my family anymore. I get great results using 12 ounces of pasta and a bit more of the reserved pasta cooking liquid.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Brussels sprouts
- 8 to 12 ounces orecchiette or whatever pasta you like, see notes above
- kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons (3 oz | 85 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup walnuts
- 2 ounces grated Pecorino or Parmigiano (1/2 to 1 cup)
- freshly cracked pepper and salt to taste
- Flaky sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Cut the stems off of each sprout and start separating the leaves. It helps to cut above the stem a little bit higher than you would normally — you also might have to make another cut after you’ve started peeling away the leaves. When you reach the heart of the sprout, it will be really hard to peel back the leaves. Stop peeling and set the heart aside. Once all of the sprouts are peeled, thinly slice the hearts. Set sprout leaves and hearts aside.
- Put a large pot of water on to boil. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt.
- Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan (large enough to fit the pasta and Brussels sprouts) melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter begins turning brown and smelling nutty, turn off the heat.
- Meanwhile, in a small sauté pan over medium heat, toast the walnuts until they become lightly browned and fragrant, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, toast the walnuts at 350ºF for 8 to 10 minutes — watch closely to prevent burning.) Place the toasted walnuts in a tea towel and rub together to remove papery skin. Transfer walnuts to a sieve and shake again to remove any additional skin. This is a little fussy and optional. Set aside.
- Check the cooking time of the pasta you are using. Set the timer for one minute less than the time recommended for al dente. For example, if your orecchiette cooks in 9 minutes, set the timer for 8. After the 8 minutes, add the Brussels sprouts to the pot. Cook 1 minute more. Reserve at least 1 cup of the cooking liquid and set aside. Drain the pasta/sprouts.
- Bring the brown butter back up to temperature over medium or medium-high heat. Add the pasta/sprouts to the pan, 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, the walnuts, and a handful of the parmesan or Pecorino. Toss. Taste. Adjust with the flaky sea salt and pepper to taste. If necessary add some more of the pasta cooking liquid to the pan — it’s nice to have reserved pasta cooking liquid on hand if you make this ahead and need to reheat it.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Italian