Walnut-ricotta pesto is a variation on the more well-known sauce, pesto, made from fresh basil.To retain its fresh flavors, the pesto is not cooked; instead, it is warmed by tossing it with hot pasta. This recipe is adapted from “Lidia Cooks From the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes” by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich.The pesto is from the region of Emilia-Romagna, home to the city of Bologna and the famous products of Parmigiano-Reggiano and prosciutto di Parma.Though Bastianich calls for freshly made tagliatelle with this sauce, you can use dried fettuccine.

FETTUCCINE WITH WALNUT PESTO—Yield: 6 servings

2 cups walnut halves or pieces, toasted2 cloves garlic1 1/2 cups ricotta, preferably fresh, drained1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated grana padano or Parmesan, plus more for passing at the table3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley1 teaspoon coarse saltFreshly ground pepper1 pound fettuccine3 tablespoons butter, softened

Procedure:1. Bring large pot of well-salted water to boil. Meanwhile, put walnuts and garlic into food processor; pulse until nuts are chopped into tiny bits (don’t grind them to a powder). Scrape mixture into large bowl; stir in ricotta, oil, grated cheese, parsley, salt and pepper to taste until blended.2. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, about 12 minutes; drain, reserving some of the cooking water. Drop pasta into bowl with pesto; dot pasta with dollops of butter. Toss until pasta is coated with pesto; if it is too thick, loosen it with a bit of the reserved pasta water as you toss.3. Serve in warm bowls, passing more grated cheese.

Nutrition data per serving: 851 calories, 57 percent of calories from fat, 55 g fat, 13 g saturated fat, 51 mg cholesterol, 64 g carbohydrates, 30 g protein, 453 mg sodium, 6 g fiber

Alyssa DeFazio displays her middleweight title belt from the 2009 USA Boxing national championships in Denver. DeFazio is shooting for a spot in the 2012 London Games, where women’s boxing will make its Olympic debut. Nationals conclude Saturday with 10 men’s weight classes and three women’s divisions at the Crowne Plaza hotel. Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

JACK DEMPSEY