Tagliatelle with Chestnuts, Sage and Crispy Parma Ham
For the culinary equivalent of a laze in front of the fire, try this: a supper that’s quick to prepare, whose flavours couldn’t be more 'winter warmer' if they tried.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
500g Chestnuts in shells or 200g cooked, peeled chestnuts
80ml Extra virgin olive oil
1 Unwaxed lemon
10g Sage leaves
¼ tsp Crushed chilli flakes
300g Tagliatelle
6 slices Parma ham, roughly torn apart
25g Butter
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. If cooking the chestnuts yourself, slit the shells with a knife tip and place in a roasting tray. Cook for 20 minutes until soft, then remove from the oven and cool. Peel while still warm; discard the shells.
- Put the olive oil in a frying pan. Peel off long, thin strips of the lemon rind and add to the oil along with the sage and chilli flakes. Heat gently for 3–4 minutes until the oil is infused. Cook the pasta in a large pan of salted, boiling water for 8 minutes or until al dente. Add the chestnuts and ham to the infused oil and continue to cook for 5 minutes until the chestnuts are warmed through and the ham is crisp. Discard the lemon rind; add the butter, squeeze over the juice of the lemon and season. Drain the tagliatelle and return to the pan, toss with the chestnuts, ham and flavoured oil and serve immediately.
Drinks recommendation
The Corker recommends - A Chilean blend of local speciality carmenère with shiraz has both the sweet fruit needed to partner the chestnuts and the muscle to lift the pasta and ham.