Sweet and earthy parsnips are a staple of British veg patches. They’re additionally straightforward to organize and really inexpensive. Right here, sliced into fingers, they make a scrumptious companion for caramelised shallots reduce with salty pancetta and an fragrant pine nut and sage butter. With pasta, they make for a easy, wealthy and warming sauce that’s good for an autumnal weeknight dinner.
Linguine with caramelised shallots, parsnips and sage butter
Prep 15 min
Prepare dinner 20 min
Serves 4
8 shallots (about 400g)
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 small bunch contemporary thyme
Salt and black pepper
4-5 parsnips (about 400g), peeled and reduce into fingers
3 tbsp sherry vinegar
200ml white wine (elective)
150g pancetta (or bacon), diced
300g linguine or spaghetti
Parmesan, to serve
For the sage butter
80g butter
40g pine nuts
15 sage leaves
Peel the shallots, reduce them in half lengthways, then reduce every half lengthways into three items. Heat the oil in a shallow pan over a medium warmth, add the shallots and thyme, add pinch of salt and soften for 5 minutes.
Add the parsnips to the shallot pan and prepare dinner, stirring often, for 10 minutes; you need them to catch and brown a bit within the pan. Add the vinegar and wine (or water, for those who choose), cowl and go away to steam for 10 minutes. When delicate, take off the lid, prepare dinner till all of the liquid has evaporated, then add the pancetta and saute, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
In the meantime, convey a big pan of nicely salted water to boil and prepare dinner the pasta till simply al dente, in keeping with the packet directions.
Whereas the pasta is cooking, warmth the butter in a pan till melted and scorching, then stir within the pine nuts and sage leaves, and prepare dinner till the butter begins to brown and the pine nuts flip a pale caramel color. Season and take offthe warmth.
Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of its cooking water, then add to the parsnip and shallot. Toss and stir, loosening the combination with among the reserved pasta water, then examine the seasoning. Serve in deep, warmed bowls with the sage butter poured over and grated parmesan served alongside.
The straightforward flex
In case you are cooking for vegetarians, merely exclude the pancetta and use a vegetarian laborious cheese as an alternative of the parmesan; chances are you’ll discover, although, that you simply’ll want so as to add an additional pinch of sea salt for seasoning.
