A deli of note
On Saturday morning, we popped into one of our favourite spots in Cape Town, the Olive Branch Deli on Kloof Street. Old-school nooks and crannies are filled with the best seasonal and artisanal products, that Cape Town and it’s surrounds have to offer. Most of the products are sourced from local farmers and producers, but there are also some international products. The owners have Cypriot roots, and the shop has a deliciously Greek twist. A huge variety of olive oils, vinegars and condiments line the shelves. There is a wide array of preserves, chocolates, biscuits, herbs, teas, honeys, coffees, dips, meats and cheeses (to name but a few!). My ultimate favourite though, is the ‘Spice Apothecary’. All the spices are displayed in beautiful jars, and can be purchased by weight. It really just takes me back to stepping into a little side shop in the spice shop district of Athens.
Indulge in some asparagus and pea tagliatelle
We always like to try a couple of new things when we go there. So this Saturday, Adam decided on the hand rolled ‘asparagus tagliatelle’. It sounded so good! And the perfect excuse to take advantage of asparagus season! I usually make this recipe with normal tagliatelle, so that is what I have listed in the ingredients below. We try to avoid eating too much dairy, so we only eat cream when we really feel like we need a little treat. Cheese and yoghurt are two things I will probably never be able to resist (though we do try to eat them in moderation). We don’t drink milk at home, and I use cream and milk sparingly for cooking. Adam loves vegetarian carbonara, so I try to make dishes that resemble this Italian favourite, but that also have some veggies and goodness in them.
I often use yoghurt to make a carbonara-style dish, but today we really felt like indulging. And what is life, if we can’t let our hair down sometimes? I think everyone can safely agree that creamy pasta is the ULTIMATE extravagance. But don’t feel too guilty, as this delicious spring asparagus and pea tagliatelle will leave you with no regrets. It is so yummy, that it is totally worth it! The real key, is to blend the trimmed asparagus stalks with the cream. This gives you a delightful pale green sauce, with a delicate asparagus flavour. This dish is simple to make, yet totally luxurious. Best of all, it’s quick enough to make as a mid-week supper, but stylish enough to serve for a dinner party.
Spring Asparagus and Pea Tagliatelle
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Ingredients
- ASPARAGUS TAGLIATELLE:
- 350g of hand made tagliatelle (asparagus tagliatelle is delicious if you can get hold of it)
- 200g asparagus
- 200g peas, fresh or frozen
- 250ml cream
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 shallot (or 1/2 a small onion), finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/8 tsp. chilli flakes
- 40g parmesan, grated
- 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
- Squeeze lemon juice, to taste
- 5g basil, roughly torn
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- TO SERVE:
- Parmesan shavings
- A little lemon zest
- A few basil leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
ASPARAGUS TAGLIATELLE:
- Place a large pot of salted water on to boil. Cook the tagliatelle according to pack instructions. Drain and toss with a little olive oil.
- In the meanwhile, put another small pot of salted water on to boil (alternatively use a steamer).
- Rinse the asparagus well. Trim off the woody ends at an angle, and add them to the pot or steamer. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until they are just cooked. Remove with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl of ice cold water to refresh. Remove and set aside.
- Peel the base of the asparagus tips. Add the asparagus tips to the pot or steamer and cook for 2-3 minutes. If they are very thin they will cook quickly, and if they are thicker, they will take longer. They should still be a little crunchy, but not raw. Remove with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl of ice cold water to refresh. Remove and slice in half at an angle. Set aside.
- Add the peas to the water, and cook for 1-2 minutes, until just cooked. Drain and add to the bowl of ice water to refresh. Drain and set aside.
- Place the cream in a standup blender or jug of a stick blender. Add the trimmed ends of the asparagus and blitz very briefly. Don’t blend for too long, as the cream will split – don’t worry if there are a few small lumps. You should have a pale green cream sauce.
- Heat a heavy-based frying pan to a medium heat. Add the olive oil oil and finely diced shallots. Cook till the shallots are soft and just starting to turn a light golden colour. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for about 20-30 seconds.
- Stir through the asparagus cream sauce and the grated parmesan cheese. Add the lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust accordingly. You want the sauce to be very flavoursome, as the flavour will be diluted when you add the tagliatelle.
- Stir through the asparagus tips, peas and torn basil. Remove from the heat. Add the tagliatelle to the sauce and toss through to coat well.
TO SERVE:
- Place the tagliatelle in an attractive serving bowl.
- Garnish with parmesan shavings, a little lemon zest and fresh basil leaves. Finally, finish with a grind of black pepper.
