MORE PLEASE - SPRING PASTA, FALL BACK
Maltagliati with Salami Ragu, Linguine with Peppers and Anchovies and Bucatini with Egg, Lemon and Herbs
Last week I wrote about the Hungry Gap, referring to the fact that perfectly seasonal produce is a bit thin on the ground at this time of year here in the UK. Of course we do have Wild Garlic that is now absolutely everywhere, especially down here in Somerset where I am staying at my parents for the week. Other than that though, it’s a bit dry in the veg aisle at the moment. It got me thinking about the recipes I cook when I am feeling a bit uninspired seasonally speaking.
Pasta is, like for many people I imagine, my number one pick for a quick and simple dinner. It’s easily adorned with minimal additions, cooks fast and is available all year round. Of course what I am really talking about wrangling here isn’t the pasta but the ingredients we pair with it and how to get around those blips in the eating calendar. I believe in using a mix of store-cupboard bits and foundational techniques to make the most of a humble tray of ingredients. You can create something very special and so utterly delicious without it having to contain the months most zietgeisty ingredient.
Speaking of pasta, do check out this weeks episode of our podcast Lunchbox Envy - it’s a deep dive on the good stuff!
We start with an RMPQ Classic - Salami Ragu. I first debuted this recipe during Covid when I was sharing pasta tutorials on my instagram page whilst unemployed. A year or so previously on a trip to Emilia Romagna, I had eaten a blonde ragu made from the offcuts of the salamis the restaurant served and it blew me away. Finely chopped salami is cooked with a soffritto and is then lengthened with white wine and milk. It comes together in half an hour and is so, so deeply flavoured thanks to the cured meat. It’s a groovy little showstopper this, and I have served it here with cheats Maltagliati - fresh lasagne sheets cut on the wonk.
Next is something that really could have gone in my Solo Suppers column a couple of weeks ago, because it is definitely a dish I often fall back on when I am alone, tired and in need of comfort. Bucatini tossed through egg yolks, parmesan and lemon zest is, to be honest, delicious in its own right. But finishing it with some vibrant fresh herbs really lifts it and creates a complex, elegant and somehow very luxurious treat. I like using basil, parsley, tarragon and mint, but the possibilities are endless.
Finally I am sharing a dish my dear old dad taught me that was my gateway drug to anchovy obsession. Peppers and anchovies go together like a wink and a smile, and in this linguine dish they create a sumptuous sauce with very little work. A slow cooked pepper is a gift for every cook and they are especially great in pasta dishes, especially as a replacement for the seasons currently insipid fresh tomatoes. I’ve topped it with an easy pangrattato; the toasty bread balances the sweet peppers somewhat. I would eat this dish breakfast, lunch and dinner if I could.