So you’ve made fresh pasta, treat it simply.
Plate by Era Ceramics
The most appropriate thing to do with a tangle of handmade noodles is to enjoy them in a decidedly unfussy way. You’ve taken the time to knead, and roll, and cut, and boil, after all. Sage-infused oil, sharp cheese, lemon zest, and a quick grating of nutmeg should do the trick.
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2/3 cup loosely packed fresh sage leaves
- Finely grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 pound Green Pasta
- 1 cup finely grated pecorino romano cheese
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season it generously with salt.
- Warm the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. When a sage leaf gently sizzles when dropped in, add all the sage and fry until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. (They will stop sizzling when completely crisp.) Remove the pan from the heat. Transfer the sage leaves to a plate lined with paper towels and season them with salt. Add the lemon zest (not juice) and nutmeg to the warm oil and set aside.
- Drop the pasta in the boiling water and cook, stirring often, until chewy and just cooked through (it won’t be al dente like dried pasta), about 2 minutes. When the pasta is done, reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain it in a colander. Return the pasta to the pot and drizzle in the oil, lemon juice, and a splash of the cooking water and toss. Add half the pecorino and toss again. Add more cooking water until it’s a bit saucy and nicely coats the noodles. Taste and season with more salt, as needed.
- Serve the pasta with the remaining pecorino and sage leaves crushed on top.