There are umpteen shapes of pasta, and like preparations of rice, each tastes quite different from the other.

Tagliatelle pasta or wide-strand noodles are not always easy to access and at Rs 325 a pop (for a 500 gm bag) it's more expensive than other pasta. But it has a rich taste quite different from its ilk.

The great part is it needs just butter and a little seasoning to taste wonderful.

Have a go at cooking up Zelda Pande's Herbed Tagliatelle Alfredo.

Herbed Tagliatelle Alfredo

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 500 gm uncooked tagliatelle (it can be purchased online)
• 1½ tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tsp chopped fresh sua or dill
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh green garlic
• 3 tbsp chopped spring onions, greens and bulbs
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• Salt to taste, about 1 tsp
• 1 tsp freshly crushed black pepper
• 7-8 tbsp or more grated cheese, a better cheese would be interesting (vegan cheese for those not eating animal products)
• ½ cup cream, preferably fresh, optional

Method

• Bring 5-6 cups of water to boil in a covered saucepan.
  Add the tagliatelle and boil, uncovered for 4-5 minutes till al dente -- not too soft. Al dente means 'to the tooth' or pasta that has a bite to it.
  Packets of pasta usually have their cooking time listed on them.
  To make a pasta al dente, subtract one minute or 1½ minutes from the cooking time.
• Drain into a colander and return it to the saucepan.
  Add the butter.
• Reheat over very low heat and add the herbs, garlic paste, pepper, salt, cheese.
  Toss lightly and warm for about 5-7 minutes to allow the garlic paste to lose its edge and the herbs to wilt a wee bit.
• Take off heat and pour the cream over it and toss lightly again and serve immediately.
  It should be nice and hot -- cold pasta is no fun.
• Serve with a green salad, fried sausages and mashed potatoes on the side.

Zelda's Note: A few strands of fresh thyme are an excellent further addition. So are 3-4 tsp chopped fresh chives.
A tiny bit of chopped basil, about 2 tsp, might add further taste.
So can ½ cup lightly sauteed strips of red capsicum.
A ½ cup fried bacon bits or chopped pre-fried sausages or chopped ham will work well for meat eaters and can be added with the herbs.

For a Jain version of this pasta, skip the garlic and use only spring onion greens.

To make this recipe a tad healthier, use extra virgin olive oil instead of butter. Reduce the cheese.

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