Tagliatelle with Lemon Cream & an Unusual Garlic Bread

It’s freezing. I hate February. It’s time for warming carbohydrates and spending little time in my chilly kitchen.

Tagliatelle – ideally fresh, rather than dried – enough for two of you to have plenty

300ml double cream

120g butter

Zest and juice of 4 large, juicy lemons

6 tbsp roughly chopped flat leaf parsley

150g grated parmesan

This is easy and quick and ideal for when the boy needs feeding fast. This seems to be often in the Winter months. Annoying as he is when he’s tetchy, there’s something very lovable about him when he’s sated and in the mood to be generous in return.

In a large heavy pan, warm the cream and add the butter, lemon juice and zest. If you don’t have a Zester, drop hints – they’re brilliant. Until he takes the hint, use a fine grater. Zest first then juice. Squeezing the lemon into your hand with fingers close together should mean you catch most of the pips. When the butter is melted, turn off the heat.

Cook the Tagliatelle and drain. It should be 3-4 mins max if using fresh. Stir it into the cream (rather than the other way round). Add half the parsley and toss lightly. Serve in warm bowls with the other half of the parsley and the parmesan added.

As it is freezing I’d be tempted to go carb mad and serve this with an extra special garlic bread. The crunch will go nicely with the soft, creamy pasta.

100g softened butter

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 supermarket packet coriander, chopped

1 red chilli finely chopped

1 Crosscut Batard or a Petit Parisienne (or any baguette styleFrench bread)

Heat the oven to 220/Gas 7 (Hot, basically). Beat the butter with the chilli, garlic and coriander. Cut slices into the bread without cutting through the bottom and put an even amount of the butter mixture between each slice. Smearing a little over the top of the loaf crust won’t hurt. Wrap in foil and bake for 20 mins. Open the foil to expose the top and give it a final 5 mins. The butter should be melted and the top should be golden and crisp.

The boy loves the filling double carbs – he’s not getting much in the way of veg in this meal but you will make it up in the week. He certainly won't be mentioning it! Bread and pasta doesn’t often work, but it is cold this week and the creamy/crunchy is about all the contrast you need. I’d go as far as a small bowl of large pickled Caper-Berries to nibble on as an acidic contrast but no further. I hate February.