Pasta la vista!
For an all-green colourful pasta dish combined with snap peas, garlic and fresh onions… the creamy sauce and the lemon which is the ideal catalyst…
A Perfect Spring dinner!
Fresh Creamy Tagliatelle with Snap Peas
Ingredients
2 large egg yolks
1½ cups crème fraîche
50 g butter, unsalted
1 garlic clove, finely grated or chopped
150 g Parmesan, finely grated (plus more for finishing the dish)
450 g snap peas, cut on the diagonal into about ½ inch pieces
1 spring onion, white part sliced thin (optional)
600 g fresh Tagliatelle
1 tablespoon lemon zest, grated
black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
Method
1. Set a large pot of water to boil and add salt.
2. For the sauce: Meanwhile, using a double boiler bring 3 to 5 cm (1 to 2 inches) of water to boil. (Note: If you don’t have a proper double boiler, two saucepans — one larger and one more shallow and smaller that can fit over the larger one — can easily be used.)
3. In the smaller saucepan (or heatproof bowl) whisk together the egg yolks, crème fraîche, butter, Parmesan, and garlic. Set the saucepan over the boiling water and whisk constantly, scraping the sides. The mixture should cook slowly. Don’t let it bubble! It will eventually turn smooth. Cook just until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside in a warm place.
4. Add the peas to the now boiling water and cook until tender, about 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Add the pasta to the same water in which the peas were cooked and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain the pasta and keep some warm cooking water.
5. For the pasta: Add the pasta, peas, and spring onions to a wide pan.
Pour in the cream and toss gently but thoroughly. Add the lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. (Note: Warm cooking water may be used to thin the mixture.)
Transfer to a bowl or plates and sprinkle with parsley and additional Parmesan to finish the dish.
Serves 4