I am born in a time – early 60s if you are curious – when food was not too fashionable.
I still remember the arrival of cream in my life. My mum did not use cream, she was Sicilian. By her law, a sauce is red and must be made with tomato and olive oil. A stick of butter lasted easily a couple of months in our fridge as she had no use for it. Cake was for winter and gelato -4 or 5 flavors, not 30 like now – was for summer. A simple life.
Then the 70’s and ’80s exploded with all sorts of sophistication. Tortellini with cream and ham, crepes rolled with Bechamel and champignons, tiramisu, pannacotta. White was the new red and it was everywhere.
This recipes is oh so ’70 that is almost forbidden. Modern pasta is often naked, no tomato, no cream, a few extravagant ingredients scattered on top of some mysterious watery juice. Alchemic, interesting, but rarely suitable to real life.
This one is good for any day, my husband loves it. Please note the quality of the ingredients and the modest amounts of condiments which are necessary to achieve balance.
Recipe
- 250 gr good quality spaghetti (possibly bronze drawn)
- 1 small onion, diced very finely
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil plus extra for finishing.
- 300 gr (10 oz) canned diced tomato (about 2/3 of a can)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2-3 tablespoon brandy
- 100 gr (3 oz) smoked wild salmon, diced
- 1 fresh red chili pepper, sliced (optional)
- 2 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
Using a shallow pan – a frying pan with high sides is ideal – saute the garlic and onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil over very low heat. If the onion starts browning deglaze with a little white wine. Add the diced tomato, cover and simmer until a little thicker, about 5 min. Add salmon and cream, bring back to simmering temperature and switch off, you don’t want to cook the flavor of the salmon away. The whole preparation should take no more than 7-8 min.
Meanwhile cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. When the pasta is cooked, turn the heat under the sauce pan to high. Drain the pasta and transfer into the sauce pan. Add chili pepper now, if using.
Stir the pasta quickly into the sauce as explained here. Add some pasta water – up to one tablespoon per person – and stir some more until the excess liquid is absorbed. Add a generous dash of brandy and stir again to incorporate. Sprinkle with parsley . Serve on warm plates with a drizzle of fruity extra virgin olive oil.
Serves 2-3
This looks delicious, and after reading through the recipe, I’m glad that it’s easy enough to recreate tonight!
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This looks so good – and is reminiscent of a recipe someone gave me but with three CUPS of cream! I like your light version better – much more authentic. I can’t wait to try it – do you think it would work well on homemade pasta? My uncle’s family was from Sicilia and, like you, the cooking was simple but so flavorful. Food was fresher and more in season (although I had never thought of the cake/gelato seasonality before!). I have very few of the recipes from that side of the family but the ones I have are treasures.
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really? 3 cups of cream for how many people? this recipe is for two, I think 3 cups of cream would be for 20! The recipe indeed works well with homemade pasta like tagliolini. You will need to add more pasta water when you dress the pasta because egg noodles need more liquid. See my video here https://madonnadelpiatto.com/2010/11/02/pasta-for-beginners/ . Enjoy!
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Lovely. I make something very similar but with quite a bit more cream. I’ll need to try this lighter version!
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Lovely Frank, let me know if you like it. Light is my specialty but that final drizzle of really good olive oil gives t a lot fo flavor even with a educed anmount of fat. It’s essential!
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This looks so good and I would trust you completely on the proportions — 2 tablespoons of cream sounds like plenty, especially with the brandy and tomato. Don’t want to drown the spaghetti!
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Sandra you’re my best student!
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We’ve had this twice in the past few weeks & have added it to our store of Letizia’s recipes, to be oft repeated, with a drizzle of olio d’oliva della Madonna del Piatto! ~ Dede & Ken
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wonderful Dede and Ken and buon appetito!
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Letizia this looks delicious and simple must add to my recipes and try…so light and summery and quick!!
I have linked your lovely Italian blog on my post today her is the link if you would like to read http://carlacoulson.com/photography-courses-and-lovely-links/
Thank-you for this my Italian husband will be delighted with a new recipe 🙂
Carla
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thank you Carla, lovely mention! I have linked it here and shared it with Fb and Twitter friends. Wonderful, wonderful pictures on your blog, complimenti!
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