LAURA SANTTINI`S PASTA SECRETS - Cico Books

A steaming plate of pasta is one of the most satisfying things in the world whether coated in a rich tomato-basedrag?, doused in a light, fragrant herb pesto or smothered in creamy salty carbonara sauce. Pasta has many merits: it is expensive, quick to make and works both as an everyday staple or a dinner party showstopper. Umami-expert Laura Santtini is an author with one foot in the rich culture and heritage of Italian cooking, and another in the truly modern understanding of methods and ingredients popular with home-cooks today. Laura's approach is that the heart and soul of each dish is down to the sauce or topping, what it is then paired with is really down to the individual. It can be anything from spiralized vegetables, quinoa or gluten-free pasta for a healthy mid-week supper to hand-made tortellini at the weekend. The book opens with The Principles of Pasta: an accessible guide to making and cooking pasta, wich also explains dried versus fresh pasta and pasta alternatives. A key recommends pairings between sauces and pastas or pasta alternatives throughout the book. The dishes are then divided into sections starting with Quick and Easy for Pepper and Parmesan and Lemon Artichoke Pesto. Vegetables and Fungi comes next with a Wild Mushroom Rag? and a delicious Pumpkin, Sage and Salted Ricotta. Next is Fish and Seafood with a simple Salmon Carbonara as well as luxurious affairs like Asparagus and Sacllop. In Meat and Poultry are Best-ever Meatballs, Spicy Nduja Sausage and a hearty Duck Rag?. Flip to the Creamy and Cheesy chapter to find earthy Gorgonzola and Walnut and zesty Saffron and Courgette.