On Fridays we make pasta

There is so much more to pasta than meets the eye. That undisputed chemistry between garlic and fresh tomato sprinkled with grated parmesan and basil stole my heart a long time ago. I organise my life around food, recently not just eating, but cooking food. My self-assessment for this recipe in particular is somewhat outstanding… it’s made with only fresh ingredients and a glass of gorgeous Cuvelier Los Andes Malbec in hand.

Fresh Pasta dough, serves 2

Ingredients

• 100 g Tipo '00' flour

• 1 large free-range eggs

Method

• Place the flour in a bowl, make a well in the centre and gently crack the egg into it.

• Using a fork, mix in the egg with the flour as much as possible.

• Flour each hand and begin to knead. This is the bit where you can let all your emotions out, so go for it. What you want to end up with is a nice piece of smooth, silky, elastic dough.

• Cover it with clingfilm and leave it to rest for about half an hour in the fridge before rolling and shaping it.

• Cut up the dough into smaller squares and pass them through the pasta machine, using the widest setting first, then slowly moving towards the thinner settings.

• Cut the smooth, thin dough into your desired shapes.

Tomato sauce, serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 cloves of garlic

• olive oil

• 400 g of good quality plum tomatoes

• fresh basil

• as much grated parmesan as you like

Method

• Heat the olive oil on medium heat, then pour in the tomatoes. Leave them to cook for about 5 minutes, then start breaking them up with a wooden spoon.

• Peel and finely slice the garlic, then add them to the simmering tomatoes.

• Add grated parmesan and fresh basil to the pan.

• Let it simmer on a low heat until your pasta is cooked.

• Use tongs to drag the pasta straight into the sauce, letting a little starchy cooking water go with it.

• Toss well over the heat, then serve. I like to finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.