Monday, August 09, 2010

PASTA WITH LEMON AND CAPERS

I found this recipe in a magazine at the hairdresser's.  Unfortunately I can remember neither the name of the magazine nor the chef but, as I've adapted it slightly, I will give the recipe here:

Cut 2 salad tomatoes into strips and marinate in a small bowl with the juice of 1 lemon [reserve the lemon halves] 6 basil leaves, 1 tablesp capers and 1 tablesp olive oil.  Roast a red pepper and peel it [or cheat and use one from a jar of grilled and skinned peppers].  Cut the pepper into strips, too. Cook 250 gr egg tagliatelle according to the instructions on the pack.  Meanwhile, use a teaspoon to get as much of the pulp out of the lemon halves as you can. Beat this well with a handful of chopped parsley and 2 tablesp olive oil. Now add this mixture and the pepper strips to the bowl of marinating ingredients and season with salt. When the pasta is ready drain it, reserving 1 tablesp of the water, put the pasta back in the pan and add all the other ingredients plus 2 tablesp oil. Stir over a low heat, then serve.  You can add some more basil leaves to decorate and either add some grated parmesan or caciocavallo cheese and some toasted breadcrumbs or let guests help themselves to these.

The chef wrote that the recipe is good cold, too and it is.  It's a fallacy that Italians don't eat pasta salad - they do.


8 comments:

Miss Footloose said...

What a wonderful recipe. I love lemon and usually also use the zest by grating it finely into whatever dish uses lemon. It intensifies the lemon flavor without making it to acid. I'm going to make this soon. Have lovely organic tomatoes now, an fresh basil.

How did I ever live without basil?

CherryPie said...

I could just eat a plate of that now :-)

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

One of my favourites .. Love capers, lemons, peppers, and basil ... I much prefer this sort of meal ..

Yesterday I had to cook a roast dinner ... it doesn't matter what day I have to do it... I cannot stand it anymore!

Anonymous said...

That sounds lush
whats is caciocavallo cheese dont think Ihave seen that

Michelle said...

Like Valleys Mam I also wondered what caciocavallo cheese is - the recipe sounds fantastic by the way.

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Glad you like it, Miss Footloose. I could not be without basil and rosemary. I just did, Cherie! Hi, Anne. Me too. I could not imagine cooking a roast in this heat! Hi, VM and Michelle. Caciocavallo cheese is made from unpasteurised cow'ds milk or sheep's milk. It is defined as a "stretched-curd" cheese. It has a special shape, like a gourd. You can substitute parmesan.

Jan Pag said...

I made this last night with modifications as I had mozzarella to use up - and it was scrummy! - thank you Welshcakes

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

I'm delighted to hear it, Jan Pag. My pleasure.

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