Gennaro Contaldo's trio of pasta sauces
We're cooking Italiano with the brilliant Gennaro Contaldo and today he's showing us how to give our pasta a break from the bolognese and broaden our repertoire with some refreshing recipe ideas.
Amalfi lemon, garlic, chilli and mint with spaghetti, traditional basil pesto with penne and asparagus, pancetta and parmesan tagliatelle - all so delicious it’s hard to pick what one to do for dinner tonight!
Traditional basil pesto
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 clove of garlic peeled1 pinch of sea salt40g fresh basil leaves15g pine nuts50g Parmesan cheese80ml extra virgin oil
Method
If you’re making this in a pestle and mortar, put in the garlic and salt and pound to a rough paste. Add the basil leaves and continue pounding it down, then add the pine nuts and finely grate in the cheeses. Continue pounding the mixture until you get a paste. Gradually drizzle in the oil, mixing it in until combined.
If you’re making this in a food processor or blender, pulse the garlic and salt together a few times to a rough paste. Add the basil leaves and pulse again, then add the pine nuts and finely grate in the cheese. Continue pulsing until you get a paste, but don’t overdo it – the heat of the machine may turn the pesto bitter. Gradually add the oil, pulsing as you go until just combined.
Serve the pesto immediately with freshly cooked pasta, or place in an airtight jar and cover with a little oil so it doesn’t dry up. Store in the fridge for up to 4 weeks until needed.
Gennaro’s Amalfi lemon, garlic and chilli pasta sauce
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Splash extra virgin olive oil1 clove of garlic, thinly sliced1 Red chilli, finely choppeda generous knob of butterZest and juice of one lemonParmesan cheeseFlat leaf parsley, choppedServe with Spaghetti
Method
Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water, according to pack instructions.
Fry the garlic and chilli together in a little oil until soft.
Add the cooked pasta and sauté together then squeeze in a little lemon juice, add the butter the parmesan.
Serve immediately with a little flat leaf parsley sprinkled over and some lemon zest.
Asparagus, pancetta and parmesan tagliatelle
Serves: 4
Ingredients
12 thin slices higher-welfare pancetta, sliced into small stripssplash of extra virgin olive oil1 medium red onion, sliced1 red chilli, finely chopped150g asparagus, sliceda handful flat leaf parsley, chopped40 g Parmesan, gratedsea salt and freshly ground black pepper500 g penne pasta
Method
Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water, according to pack instructions.
Heat a wide frying pan and gently fry the pancetta in olive oil until crispy. Add the onion, chilli and asparagus and season with a little salt.
Fry until soft then add the pasta, a little of the pasta water and sauté to bring it together, grate over parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
Serve and then sprinkle over flat leaf parsley and the last of the Parmesan sprinkled on top. .