Serves 4
Ingredients
500g tagliatelle or fettuccine
100g unsalted butter
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, sliced
8 fresh sage leaves
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp cracked black pepper (or more to taste)
60ml (¼ cup) FAT bastard Chardonnay
80g (about 1 cup) grated Pecorino Romano, plus extra for serving
1/2 lemon’s juice
Salt, to taste
Best extra virgin olive oil to serve
Method:
Boil the pasta water:
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. This will be used to cook the pasta and help emulsify the sauce later, so don’t forget to reserve a cup of the pasta water before draining.
Make the sauce base:
In a wide skillet or sauté pan, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sage leaves, garlic, lemon zest and cracked black pepper, letting them cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir with wooden spoon. Once garlic is slightly golden and not burnt, add the Chardonnay to the pan and let it simmer for 1–2 minutes to reduce slightly and meld with the butter and aromatics. Turn off the heat for now
Cook the pasta:
Cook the pasta until just al dente. Drain immediately, reserving the pasta water.
Finish the dish:
Off the heat, add the hot pasta directly to the pan with the sauce. Add the grated Pecorino and about 60ml (¼ cup) of the reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously to emulsify into a silky sauce. Add a little more water if needed for consistency.
Taste and season with salt, more pepper, and lemon juice if desired. Serve immediately, topped with more Pecorino, a little extra virgin olive oil and a final crack of black pepper. And of course, finish it off with a big, bold glass of chilled FAT bastard Chardonnay. Now that’s how you do #FbChardonMay.
