Part 3 (1/2)

14 ounces dried farfalle 2 tablespoons olive oil 5 ounces thick-sliced lean bacon, chopped 1 large garlic clove, minced 1 cups heavy cream 1 cup green peas, thawed if frozen 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling small handful each of fresh sage and flat-leaf parsley, leaves only

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Tip in the farfalle and cook according to the package directions until the pasta is al dente.

Heat the oil in large saucepan and add the bacon. Fry over high heat until the bacon is golden brown, 34 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for a minute. Pour in the cream and bring to a boil. Let simmer until reduced and thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Tip in the peas, bring back to a simmer, and cook for 34 minutes longer. Stir the grated Parmesan into the sauce, then taste and adjust the seasoning.

When the pasta is ready, drain it in a colander and immediately tip into the sauce. Add the herbs and toss the pasta until well coated with the creamy sauce. Divide among warm plates and sprinkle with a little more Parmesan before serving.

Fresh tagliatelle with Stilton and mushrooms Tana likes to make this toward year end, using leftover Stilton from Christmas. Of course, you can use any blue cheese: Piquant Roquefort, savory Dolcelatte, or creamy Gorgonzola would all work well.

SERVES 6 6.

2 tablespoons b.u.t.ter 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups) cup heavy cream 1 pound fresh tagliatelle 4 ounces Stilton, chopped or crumbled handful each of fresh oregano and flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In the meantime, melt the b.u.t.ter in a wide saute pan. When it begins to foam, add the mushrooms and some seasoning. Fry over high heat, tossing occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden brown and tender. Add the cream and reduce the heat.

Cook the tagliatelle in the boiling water until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 45 tablespoons of the water in the pot. Return the tagliatelle to the pot and tip in the mushrooms and cream. Add three-quarters of the Stilton and half of the chopped herbs, then toss until the pasta is evenly coated with the melting cheese and mushroom sauce.

Divide among individual serving plates and scatter the remaining Stilton and herbs over the top. Serve at once.

Grilled vegetable lasagne Food like this is far too good to reserve just for vegetarians. If you have time, make the tomato sauce the day before to let the flavors balance out.

SERVES 46 46 10 ounces fresh lasagne sheets (about 12) cup freshly grated Parmesan 3 buffalo mozzarella, 5 ounces each, thinly sliced small handful of fresh basil, leaves only Tomato and basil sauce: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 celery ribs, chopped 1 carrot, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, minced leaves stripped from a sprig of fresh thyme 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes in juice 1 teaspoon sugar (optional) small handful of fresh basil, leaves torn Grilled vegetables: 1 small eggplant 1 large zucchini 1 yellow crookneck squash olive oil for drizzling leaves stripped from a few sprigs of fresh thyme sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves chopped 1 yellow bell pepper 1 red bell pepper

First, make the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and thyme with some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft, 68 minutes. Tip in the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly, about 30 minutes. Taste and add sugar if the sauce seem acidic. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Trim the eggplant, zucchini, and squash, then slice into -inch rounds. Drizzle with olive oil and season. Toss with the herbs. Cook in batches on a hot grill pan until tender and lightly charred, 23 minutes on each side. Transfer to a large bowl.

Preheat the broiler to hot. Cut the bell peppers in half and place them cut-side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Broil until well charred, 1015 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly before peeling off the skins and discarding the seeds. Cut the flesh into wedges and add to the bowl of grilled vegetables.

When the tomato sauce is ready, add the basil. Transfer to a food processor and blitz until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Tip into a bowl and let cool.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spoon a thin layer of tomato sauce over the bottom of a deep baking dish. Put two sheets of lasagne on top, then sprinkle with a little Parmesan. Arrange a layer of grilled vegetables on the pasta, followed by a layer of mozzarella. Add another layer of tomato sauce. Repeat the layers until you reach the top of the dish. You want to finish with a layer of lasagne sheets spread generously with tomato sauce, topped with a final layer of mozzarella cheese and a sprinkling of Parmesan. Bake until the cheese topping is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling around the sides, 3040 minutes.

Conchiglie with meaty tomato ragu This is my version of a pasta bolognese. I prefer to use conchiglie, because their sh.e.l.l shape holds more of the flavorful sauce than spaghetti does. Meat ragu freezes well and makes an ideal prepare-ahead supper.

SERVES 4 4.

Ragu: 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, minced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 celery rib, minced 1 carrot, minced leaves stripped from a sprig of fresh thyme 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 pound lean ground beef 2/3 cup dry white wine cup dry white wine 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes in juice 1 cups chicken stock (see Chapter 9) or water pinch of sugar (optional) Pasta: 14 ounces dried conchiglie large handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley and oregano, chopped freshly grated Parmesan for serving

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan until hot. Add the onion and some seasoning. Fry over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to soften, 68 minutes. Tip in the garlic, celery, carrot, and herbs. Saute over high heat until the vegetables are lightly golden, 34 minutes.

Add the remaining oil and the beef. Stir well, pressing down on the beef to break it up. Season again and continue to stir over high heat until the beef is no longer red. Pour in the wine and let it boil vigorously until almost all evaporated and the pan is quite dry.