tagliatelle with hazelnut sauce

tagliatelle con salsa di nocciole

for 6

200 g shelled hazelnuts

500 g Fresh Pasta (see here) made into tagliatelle

2 garlic cloves, peeled

350 ml double cream

60 ml brandy

extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon 100% cocoa powder

freshly grated Parmesan

Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 dried red chilli, crumbled

½ nutmeg, freshly grated

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.

Place the hazelnuts in a large cake tin and roast for 15 minutes. Place on a tea towel, fold it over the hot nuts and rub vigorously to loosen the skins. Shake the nuts in a coarse sieve to allow the skins to drop off.

Place the nuts and garlic in a food processor and pulse-chop until the nuts have broken up. Pour in the cream, brandy and 150 ml extra virgin olive oil. Add the cocoa powder and 100 g of the grated Parmesan and blend to a rough texture. Season with salt, pepper and the chilli. Grate in the nutmeg and stir.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the tagliatelle and cook for 3–4 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Drain, keeping back 2–3 tablespoons of pasta water. Mix the sauce with the tagliatelle, adding some of the cooking water if too thick. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.