Spaghetti with Walnuts - Al Capone's Favorite Pasta Dish

According to his grand niece, there was a particular pasta dish 1920's Gangster Al Capone loved - Spaghetti Con Salsa di Noci - spaghetti with walnut sauce. This may seem odd to many people used to spaghetti with tomato sauce but this is a typical "peasant" dish from the Campania region of Italy where Capone's family roots were. There are various versions of  Salsa di Noci with different flavor details but the basic ingredients are - chopped walnuts, minced garlic, Italian flat leaf parsley, Parmesan cheese and olive oil. Other flavor ingredients might include - hot red pepper flakes, lemon zest and juice, anchovies and oregano. 

That said, I am using the recipe Al' Capone's grandniece wrote in her book about him. 

It is a simple dish but with a lot going on - earthy flavor from the walnuts with a little brightness from the lemon juice, heat from the red pepper flakes and buttery gooiness from the melted Parmesan cheese. Save this recipe for the nights you want an easy, delicious comfort meal. You will love it!

Ingredients:

- Spaghetti

- Walnuts

- Garlic

- Fresh Parsley

- Hot Red Pepper Flakes

- Lemon juice

- Parmesan Reggiano

- Olive Oil

- Salt

Chop the walnuts - 

Mince the garlic -
               

Chop the parsley -

Cook the Spaghetti until al dente. Reserve some of that salted, starchy pasta water for the sauce later.

Heat some good olive oil in a pan over low heat. Add the chopped walnuts, garlic, fresh parsley, red pepper flakes and lemon juice.

Stir everything together so that it's all well-coated in the olive oil and cook until fragrant.

Add the spaghetti and toss until the pasta is well coated in the sauce. Add the reserved pasta water and bring to a simmer until it starts to thicken.

Fold in grated Parmesan cheese and add a final drizzle of olive oil before serving.

Add more cheese to your taste