Whole Wheat Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, Brown Butter, and Walnuts
by La Domestique
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INGREDIENTS
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DIRECTIONS
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16
ounces
whole wheat spaghetti
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½ cup (1 stick) plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
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1
cup
walnuts
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2
shallots, sliced thin
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2
garlic cloves, minced
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1
pound
Brussels sprouts
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1
tablespoon
fresh thyme leaves
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Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Toast the walnuts. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and bake them in the oven until fragrant, 10 minutes. Pour the toasted nuts onto a plate to cool and set them aside. Once the walnuts are cool, coarsely chop them.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the whole wheat pasta until just tender, according to package directions. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and toss with 1 tablespoon butter. Cover and keep warm while you continue with the recipe.
- While the pasta cooks, make the brown butter. Heat 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup) in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Monitor the heat carefully so the butter does not burn, but instead turns a dark, golden brown while the white solids float to the top. In less than 8 minutes, the butter should have a nice nutty aroma. Remove the brown butter from the heat, strain it, and discard the solids. Set the brown butter aside.
- Prepare the Brussels sprouts by separating the leaves. Cut off the base of the bud, then slice vertically through the top of the Brussels sprout, cutting it in half. Peel away the tender leaves, discarding the hard core. Rinse the leaves and pat them dry.
- Cook the Brussels sprouts. Heat the last 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Once the butter melts, add the shallots and garlic and cook for a minute to soften. Toss in the Brussels sprouts leaves and thyme. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook until the leaves are bright green and tender, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the pasta to the pan and pour over the brown butter. Toss the pasta well and heat through, adding more salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the pasta to a serving platter and garnish with walnuts. Serve family style with Parmesan at the table.