Linguine with Crema di Noci

Ingredients

• 0.3 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 2  garlic cloves peeled halved
• 8 ounces pasta uncooked
• 0.5 cup milk 2% reduced-fat
• 0.3 cup romano cheese fresh grated
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 0.5 cup walnut halves 

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• baking sheet
• oven
• microwave

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 35
2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
3. While pasta cooks, place walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet.
4. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes or until toasted.
5. Place 1/3 cup hot walnuts, salt, and garlic in a food processor; process until nuts are finely ground. Microwave milk at HIGH 1 minute or until hot.
6. Add hot milk to food processor; process until smooth. Chop remaining walnuts.
7. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water.
8. Combine pasta, walnut cream, chopped walnuts, and pepper in a bowl; toss to coat. If necessary, add reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin walnut cream.
9. Sprinkle with Romano cheese.
10. Serve immediately.
11. Crema di noci (KREH-mah dee NOH-chee) means "cream of walnut." Toasted walnuts are pured into butter as a base for this pasta sauce.