Tonight I invited two friends for dinner. Well- matched pair, we've known each others for years and they have already tried many of our recipes. I'd like to surprise them so I decide to use a fresh pasta: Tagliatelle. Those from Artigianpasta are perfect: thin soft, always "al dente", never slippery. A common issue with this pasta is that it acts like a sponge absorbing all the seasoning, its texture is porous and rough, making it ideal for thick sauces (red and abundant). But tonight I want something different.
So, I'll try with artichokes, soy cream and chicken and turkey sausages. Let's start from artichokes. 500 grams pack, in the microwave for about 10 minutes, water with two lemon peels to make them truly tender. I only remove the tough outer leaves, where necessary. I cut it into thin slices and I put them in a pan with garlic, oil and two anchovies instead of salt. I want them gilded, not fried. Halfway through cooking I add half a glass of white wine or non-alcoholic beer. Apart from this I start to prepare my four chicken and turkey sausages. With a coffee spoon I cut them into nuggets. They are tasty and light, and at our age is better not to overdo at dinner. Anyway, also here, use wine or beer.
So, I'll try with artichokes, soy cream and chicken and turkey sausages. Let's start from artichokes. 500 grams pack, in the microwave for about 10 minutes, water with two lemon peels to make them truly tender. I only remove the tough outer leaves, where necessary. I cut it into thin slices and I put them in a pan with garlic, oil and two anchovies instead of salt. I want them gilded, not fried. Halfway through cooking I add half a glass of white wine or non-alcoholic beer. Apart from this I start to prepare my four chicken and turkey sausages. With a coffee spoon I cut them into nuggets. They are tasty and light, and at our age is better not to overdo at dinner. Anyway, also here, use wine or beer. We are five for dinner, estimating 80/90 grams of pasta per person, I only need a 500 grams pack. Soy cream does not need to cook for a long time, it perfectly replaces the traditional cream being significantly lighter and for this reason I can use two boxes to make a creamy sauce for my pasta. Then I add the artichokes and once I drain pasta- after 3-4 minutes in boiling water- I put everything in a pan with a goat's milk glass. This is light, digestible, tasty and it works to stretch, soften and dissolve. The sauce is with the pasta. Once it is ready I pick up a forkful of pasta and I put it in a ladle, then on the plate. Two forkful for each and the serving is made pleasing the eye with a dusting of salted ricotta cheese and fresh parsley on the top. Get the party started. Enjoy.
Enzo A. Becchetti (Business Consultant)
