Tagliatelle with young spring vegetables All the following vegetables can be used to enhance fresh pasta: peas, broccoli florets, broad (fava) beans, sliced courgettes (zucchini), mangetout (snow peas). Simply blanch them for a few seconds and refresh, then sweat gently in a little olive oil for a minute or two. Add some snipped basil leaves and a touch of crushed garlic before tossing the vegetables with freshly cooked tagliatelle. Serve a bowl of freshly grated Parmesan on the side to complement the wonderful flavours.
Spaghetti with seafood and cherry tomatoes Steamed and shelled mussels, peeled prawns (shrimp) and sliced, lightly poached or pan-fried scallops, are exquisite mixed into freshly cooked spaghetti. I like to add some roasted cherry tomatoes (prepared in advance, as for Portuguese-style scrambled egg), and to serve a bowl of pesto on the side (see below).
Linguine with pesto Pesto is the perfect partner for freshly made pasta. You can buy this ready made, but it’s so easy to prepare, tastes far superior if it’s freshly made, and the aromas will perfume your house. Simply pound 4 crushed garlic cloves with 20 basil leaves and 30g (1oz) toasted pine nuts, using a pestle and mortar, then add 100 g (3½oz) freshly grated Parmesan. Slowly trickle in 150ml (scant ⅔ cup) olive oil, stirring continuously with the pestle. Once the pesto is smooth, season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss freshly cooked linguine with pesto and serve with extra grated Parmesan.