Tagliatelle with vegetables (Tagliatelle con verdure)
Can you think of a people who cook like magicians and possess immeasurable sensibility to good food combined with exquisite diligence and care for detail? Yet, all this is served with hot temperament and charming negligence. Got it?
I was amazed to learn that Italians have tens, if not hundreds of types of pasta, any of which requires special sauce, cheese, meat, spices and herbs. Tagliatelle is most often prepared with vegetables, or shall we say that vegetables must have been created for the sole purpose to embellish this fantastic dish.
It takes some time to get things done properly, but time passes quickly when you think of how people will undoubtedly appreciate your culinary skills. Besides, you need very few products, all of which are normally found in any fridge.
I used to start with boiling the tagliatelle; then some Italian friends told me that the right order is the other way round. So, start with the sauce. Chop finely Вј to ВЅ of an onion (depends on your taste), one medium-sized carrot, one or two green peppers, one paprika and one zucchini. Fry them in two fingers of oil until they soften, but before they burn.
Add 4 cups (ВЅ liter) of tomato sauce and about a cup and a half (300 ml) of water. Add some sliced mushrooms until they soak up the sauce. If you use dried mushrooms, you should first soak them in water, oil and black pepper. The final touch is a squirt of liquid cream, which adds to the dish a smooth and silky texture.
Boil the tagliatelle with half of handful of salt (or less, if you prefer so) and some oil so that the sticks get salty enough and do not stick to each other. Strain the pasta, place it in a pot and mix it with the sauce while still hot. Serve quickly, and offer some parmigiano to sprinkle on top of each serving.
This dish goes rather well with white wines or beer, but water is a possible beverage too. Buon appetito!
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