Sturdy
pasta, all too often married exclusively to ripe tomatoes, garlic and peppers,
takes on a lighter guise when flecked with the brilliant green of courgettes.
The vital ingredient is tagliolini, a delicate egg-based pasta.
Tagliolini belongs to the tagliatelle family of pastas, which are all basically
flat ribbons, some narrower than others. The name refers to the way it is made -
tagliare means to cut.
If you can't obtain tagliolini, fresh pasta
sold in
supermarkets as fresh egg fettucine is ideal - fettucine is just slightly
wider than tagliolini.
Combine the pasta with fine strands of fragrant lemon peel and at least two
sharpish cheeses - white, crumbly pecorino and the more pungent parmesan. A dash
of cream adds a smooth and unctuous note.
Pecorino
the generic term for any cheese made from ewes' milk while the last name
indicates where it is made. Pecorino Romano, originally made near Rome, is the
most popular of the pecorinos. Pecorino is sold in delicatessens, specialty food stores and some supermarkets.
Parmesan
is a generic term for any cheese made to resemble the Italian cheese Parmigiano
Reggiano, which has a sweet, pineapple tang and hard, grainy texture. Although
expensive, a little goes a long way. Look for it at delicatessens and specialty
food stores.
INGREDIENTS:
375 g tagliolini
500 g of
courgettes, grated
zest of 1
lemon
75 g pecorino, grated
75 g freshly grated parmesan
Sea salt
and freshly ground black pepper
300 ml
thick cream, warmed
(Serves 4)
Check
List: grater or food processor with a grater blade, large pasta pot, two forks, medium-size
bowl, heavy-based fry pan.
STAGE
1:
The courgettes can
either be steamed or sautéed in a little butter and olive oil. Watch
them carefully while cooking. They should retain their wonderful colour.
Immediately they soften, remove from the heat.
Make a point of using an egg
based pasta, which is lighter than regular pasta and has a distinctive homemade quality.
STAGE
2:
Bring
a large quantity of salted water to the boil in a pasta pot. Add pasta and cook briefly (about 4 minutes)
or according to packet instructions.
Drain.
STAGE 3:
Meanwhile,
sprinkle courgettes with a little salt to heighten colour and flavour and steam
until softened and bright green. Toss immediately with pasta, lemon
zest, cheeses, salt, pepper and warm cream.
Serve on heated plates either
as a dish on its own or with Tarragon Sautéed Chicken.
STAGE 4:
Tarragon Sautéed Chicken:
Sprinkle
with salt and pepper.
Heat
a little oil
and butter in frying pan until piping hot and quickly sauté breasts 2-3
minutes on each side. Sprinkle
with 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped tarragon. Remove
and slice breasts slantwise using a sharp knife.
COOK'S CLASS