Ligurian Baked Trofie with Walnut and Anchovy Sauce
A warm, satisfying baked pasta dish rooted in Liguria's tradition of nut-based sauces. Trofie pasta is tossed with a rich sauce of toasted walnuts, anchovies, garlic, and cream, then finished in the oven until bubbling and golden. This is comfort food with Mediterranean depth—salty anchovies and earthy walnuts balance each other beautifully.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Wait
- 10 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Makes
- 4 servings (about 1½ cups each)
Steps
Before you start
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) 10 minutes before baking
- Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet for 2 minutes to deepen their flavor, then let cool slightly
- Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil for the pasta
Cook the trofie
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook trofie according to package directions until just barely al dente (about 1–2 minutes before fully tender), then drain in a colander, reserving ½ cup (120 ml) of pasta water.
- Toss the drained pasta lightly with a touch of olive oil to prevent sticking.
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Ready when: Pasta is just tender and still has slight resistance when bitten
Tip: Cook the pasta slightly under since it will finish cooking in the oven; this prevents mushiness.
Make the walnut purée
- While pasta cooks, combine toasted walnuts, drained anchovies, and minced garlic in a food processor.
- Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand with small pea-sized pieces remaining (not a fine paste).
- Transfer to a medium bowl.
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Ready when: Walnuts and anchovies are broken down but retain some texture
Tip: Keep the texture chunky—over-processing creates a gummy sauce rather than a rich, toasty one.
Warm the cream mixture
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the heavy cream and whole milk together with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
- Heat until steaming but not boiling, about 3–4 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
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Ready when: Cream steams and shows small bubbles at the edges
Tip: Do not boil or the cream may separate; gentle heat is key.
Blend sauce and pasta
- Add the walnut-anchovy mixture to the warm cream and stir well to combine.
- Fold in the cooked trofie and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, tossing gently until all pasta is coated.
- If the sauce looks too thick, add reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until it reaches a creamy consistency that coats the pasta without pooling.
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Ready when: Pasta is evenly coated and the sauce is creamy, not soupy
Tip: Add pasta water gradually—you may not need it all, depending on how much moisture the walnuts absorbed.
Assemble in the baking dish
- Transfer the sauced trofie to a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish, spreading it in an even layer.
- Sprinkle the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly over the top.
- If using nutmeg, grate a small amount over the cheese.
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Ready when: Cheese is distributed evenly across the top
Tip: Spread the pasta in a single, relatively even layer so it bakes uniformly.
Bake until goldenOven 400°F / 205°C
- Place the baking dish in a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven and bake for 12–15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling gently around the edges.
- The cheese should be melted and just beginning to brown.
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Ready when: Top is golden brown; sauce bubbles visibly around the edges; cheese is melted
Tip: If the top browns too quickly before the pasta heats through, cover loosely with foil for the first 8 minutes, then uncover.
Rest and garnish
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Scatter fresh chopped parsley over the top if desired.
- Divide into bowls and serve warm, drizzling each portion with a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil if you like.
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Ready when: Pasta is set enough to scoop cleanly but still creamy
Tip: Resting prevents the dish from being too hot to eat and allows flavors to meld.
Good to know
Tips
- This dish celebrates the anchor-walnut pairing that defines Ligurian cooking—the anchovies should season and enrich rather than dominate, so don't overdo them.
- Toasting the walnuts before using them brings out their oils and deepens the sauce's flavor significantly.
- If you prefer a lighter dish, replace half the heavy cream with whole milk or a splash of reserved pasta water for a more brothy consistency.
- Serve this with a crisp white wine from Liguria, such as Vermentino or Pigato, to balance the richness and complement the nutty, salty flavors.
Make ahead
You can prepare the walnut-anchovy purée and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. On serving day, cook the pasta, warm the cream mixture, and proceed with assembly and baking.
Storage & reheating
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place in a baking dish, add a splash of milk to loosen the sauce, cover with foil, and warm in a 325°F (165°C) oven for 15–20 minutes until heated through. Do not freeze, as the cream sauce can separate upon thawing.
Substitutions
- raw walnut halves → pine nuts or blanched almonds. Pine nuts are classic in Ligurian cuisine and offer a milder, buttery flavor. Use the same weight. Almonds work well but will give a slightly less rich result.
- trofie pasta → hand-rolled pappardelle or short rigatoni. Any hand-rolled or rustic short pasta will work; avoid long, thin shapes like spaghetti, which don't hold the chunky sauce as well.
- heavy cream → full-fat Greek yogurt or crème fraîche (added off heat). For a tangier result, warm the milk alone, then stir in yogurt or crème fraîche off the heat. This prevents curdling. Use the same volume.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese → aged Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano. Pecorino will add a sharper, slightly saltier edge; Grana Padano is milder. Use the same amount.
