Really Buttery Saffron Tagliatelle
A satisfying dish of saffron-scented buttered pasta topped with cheese is always a welcome meal.
Ingredients
- Salt
- 1 pound egg tagliatelle, such as Delverde
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock (or water)
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 small onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 carrot, peeled and quartered
- 1 small rib celery, quartered
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 large curl each lemon and orange zest
- 2 pinches saffron threads (about 30), plus more for garnishing
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seed
- 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Preparation
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving a little of the starchy cooking water.
While the pasta is working, in a large, deep skillet, combine the stock (or water), wine, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, citrus zest and saffron; season lightly with salt if using stock, or more heavily if using water. Bring to a boil and let reduce very rapidly to 1 1/2 cups, 15-20 minutes. Strain and return to the pan. Stir in the butter to melt over low heat.
Add the pasta, poppy seeds and some cheese to the sauce. Toss for 1-2 minutes to combine. Serve with the remaining cheese and garnish with a few extra threads of saffron.
