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Just about a year ago I had the fortune to be invited along with other food writers and notables on a trip to the Sacramento Valley in California.

On the agenda were sightseeing, restaurants, a winery and everything I always wanted to know about walnuts. We toured the walnut groves, where the perfume of the soil and the fresh nuts is delicious, and the factory where the nuts are cleaned, graded, cracked, dressed and packed in a variety of ways before being shipped all over the world.

For me, walnuts have always been an obvious choice, since I grew up in northern Italy close to the Apennine region where the conditions for growing them are perfect. In this region, walnuts are used in many ways, including in a liqueur, Nocino, made from macerated walnuts in sugar and alcohol. It's used as a digestive following a meal of cured meats, parmigiano, fried dough and ricotta ravioli.

Cracking walnuts is the kind of thing you can get into after a meal with a large group of friends; I have seen a basket of walnuts seemingly empty itself over discussions of world politics or the next meal.

There are also health benefits to this simple nut, which contains a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids that help reduce the risk of heart disease.

If you buy shelled walnuts, make sure they are fresh and have been stored in a cool, dry place. I recommend placing them in a sealed container in the refrigerator for optimal freshness.

My favourite recipe is walnut pesto to be used with a great ricotta ravioli. If you do not want to make fresh pasta you can use won-ton wrappers instead.

Always use a fresh ricotta, such as Silani's new omega-3 ricotta, and be sure to strain it overnight - that stuff is creamy.

RICOTTA RAVIOLI  WITH WALNUT PESTO

For the pesto

What you need

Half a pound walnuts

1 small garlic clove

4 tablespoons grated parmigiano reggiano

4 ounces olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

4 ounces 35% cream

Salt and pepper to taste

What you do

Blanch the walnuts in boiling water for about five minutes. Strain and allow to cool.

In a blender, add the garlic, walnuts and olive oil and blend until creamy (a mortar and pestle can also be used for a more classic result).

Remove the creamy walnuts from the blender and place in a bowl. Using a whisk, stir in the parmigiano, parsley and cream.

To finish the pesto, taste for the correct seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Store refrigerated up to five days.

For the filling

What you need

1 pound lb of good ricotta, strained overnight

½ cup onion

1 clove garlic

1½ cups grated Padano

1 cup toasted chopped walnuts

2 eggs

1 tablespoon olive oil

Nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

What you do

Put the ricotta in a strainer, cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight. This will dry the ricotta to make it usable for filling.

Finely chop the onion and garlic, place in a preheated skillet with the oil and cook until translucent. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Place the ricotta in a bowl; add the walnut, eggs and cheese. Grate some nutmeg on it and mix. Taste for correct seasoning, mix well and set aside.

For the pasta

What you need

1 pound white flour

4 eggs

2 ounces pureed cooked spinach

What you do

Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the eggs and pureed spinach and stir to make dough. If it seems too wet, add more flour.

Knead until shiny and smooth; it should be almost dry to the touch, not sticky at all. Set aside, wrapped in plastic, for about half an hour.

Roll the dough through a pasta maker into long, thin sheets about four inches wide; do not dust the top of the pasta too much. Place ¾-ounce portions of filling about two inches apart down the centre line. Using the vertical centre line as the fold, roll the sheet of pasta onto itself and, starting from the middle, press down between the portions of filling to push out excess air and to seal in the filling. Cut the ravioli with a fluted pasta roller and place on a lightly floured tray.

Cook the ravioli in boiling salted water. Use a skimmer to lift pasta out, and toss immediately in the walnut pesto. Serve sprinkled with lots of grated cheese.

Massimo Capra is co-owner and chef of Mistura Restaurant and Sopra Upper Lounge in Toronto and guest chef on the show Restaurant Makeover.