Tagliatelle with Mushroom and Ham

Sometime during December, I was presented with a brand new pasta machine. I’m not quite sure for which celebration that was though. Was it my birthday, or Hanukah, Christmas, my partners and I anniversary or New Years Eve? Yes, they all fall in December, and for this reason, that month will remain a fuzzy memory of debauched acts. My brain cells have only just recovered…
As a child, I was more acquainted with fresh, homemade pasta than I was with the dry packet version. That’s not to say, one is better than the other. They are just different. Dry commercial pasta is sturdy and bold and combines well with aggressive flavours, like extra virgin olive oil. “Pasta fatta in casa” is lighter and more delicate, elegant but rustic at the same time. It needs little to bring out these beautiful qualities and I prefer it with simple butter based sauces, like the following:



Ingredients
150g mushrooms (wild or cultivated, whatever you can get)
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or finely chopped
50g ham, chopped
60g unsalted butter
A slash of extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper
Parsley, chopped
200g homemade tagliatelle
Fresh Parmesan

Method
Wipe the mushrooms clean and slice them 1cm thick.
Over a low heat, melt half the butter with the garlic and ham and a splash of olive oil. Cook gently for a couple of minutes. Do not allow the garlic to brown.
Throw in the mushrooms and cover the pan. Allow the mushrooms to braise gently in their own juices until cooked through. Mine took about 15 minutes, but that will depend on the type of mushroom you are using. Season well. Keep warm.
In the meantime, cook the tagliatelle in plenty of boiling, salted water until just al dente. Fresh, homemade pasta will take about 2 minutes.
Drain quickly and tip into the pan with the mushrooms.
Add the parsley and the rest of the butter and toss everything together.
Check for salt and pepper and serve immediately with Parmesan cheese.
A dish with honest flavours and exquisite textures. Serves 2.