Strozzapreti with speck and saffron

Strozzapreti con speck e zafferano

I used fresh pasta for this dish which I'm lucky enough to find easily in my local supermarket. This saves precious time for busy week night dinners! This pasta dish is ready in 15 minutes or even less if you boil the kettle first to cook the pasta. Speck is a type of cured, lightly smoked ham found in Northern Italy in the beautiful Dolmite mountains. Ingredients 4 people:

1. 500 g strozzapreti pasta, or similar egg pasta

2. Packet of chopped speck, about 150 g

3. Small chopped onion

4. Few strands of saffron

5. 2-3 tablespoons single cream

6. Salt to taste

7. Olive oil

8. Parmesan to serve

Method:

1. Cook pasta according to instructions in salted water.

2. Fry onion gently in a little oil in a pan or wok.

3. When softened, add speck and cook for 2-3 mins.

4. Then add saffron and stir.

5. Cook on low heat now for 2-3 mins. Remove from heat.

6. When pasta nearly ready, add the cream and a ladle of pasta cooking water to the speck. Stir until mixed well.

7. Drain pasta, add to sauce. Mix well and serve with grated parmesan cheese.