Glasgow 'food royalty' Mrs Conetta on how to make the perfect pasta

This week, Mrs Conetta reveals how easy it is to make home-made pasta, and shows us a great recipe for quick and tasty midweek meal.

WHEN it comes to pasta, there are endless, delicious possibilities.

My mother-in-law always made fresh pasta and I loved going for dinner on a Sunday, when she served it with a tasty sugo (Italian for sauce), made from oxtail. It was absolutely delicious.

While on holiday in Apulia one year, Joe and I were staying in a masseria (Italian farmhouse) which provided cookery lessons. (Joe cooked at home occasionally – when he felt like it, but it was always worth waiting for. He was good, and he made the best meatballs ever – I’ll include that recipe in a future column.)

I had been to a cookery class before, to learn how to make truffles and pasta. It was in Piedmonte. (I also went to a Prue Leith cookery school. It was not a great experience, but that’s another story.)

This class, at the masseria, was all about how to make fresh pasta. Our first attempt was orecchiette, which looks like a small ear, and trust me, it is not easy to get right. Joe and I could not make them at all to start with, because we were laughing too much at the shapes we were producing. They looked more like noses than ears. The teacher was very patient and we got there in the end. Thankfully, my pasta-making skills have definitely improved over the years.

I don’t think anyone can ever get fed up of pasta (especially when it is accompanied by a glass of red wine.) There are so many varieties and dishes to try. It really is worth the time to make your own. It can be done in minutes and children can get involved too. Served with a simple garlic, basil and tomato sauce, or the recipe below, it makes a quick and delicious midweek meal.

In the southern Italian style of cooking, pasta is very similar to pizza dough in that you have a basic recipe that you can change in many ways.

Simple ways to change a dish dramatically include adding different combinations of herbs, spices or flavourings to your pasta dough. You can also add spinach, which is so popular these days. The consistency for spinach pasta is very hard to get right - if you enjoy a challenge then give it a try.

Minced garlic, parsley and a little pepper added to pasta makes for a tasty dish. Add a bunch of ground, crushed hot pepper and fresh basil along with some salt and pepper and you have a spicy and delightful pasta. Or add saffron, salt and pepper for a really subtle yet delicious dish.

READ MORE: Cooking with Mrs Conetta: Comfort food is classic way to beat winter blues

You can, alternatively, add sugar and cinnamon to the mix and you have a sweet pasta dough for dessert dishes.

Here’s a simple dish that you can use to test out your pasta skills. It’s one that the children should enjoy too.

Buon Appetito!

SPAGHETTI WITH BUTTER AND CHEESE

FOR THE PASTA DOUGH

4 cups of plain flour

1 teaspoon of salt

4 eggs

1 tablespoon of olive oil

FOR THE SAUCE

100g butter

100g parmesan

METHOD

Sift the flour and salt together and pile it on a pastry or chopping board. Make a well in the centre and break the eggs into it and add the oil. Work the eggs and oil into the flour with your fingers until a firm dough is formed. Knead the dough until very smooth and elastic, about five minutes.

Cover the dough with a cotton cloth and let it rest for half an hour. Divide the dough into three pieces. Roll each piece as thinly as possible on a floured board.

From this dough you could make any kind of pasta – simply cut it into the shape you want. I have gone with spaghetti.

Bring a large pot of water to boil, add a tablespoon of olive oil, and place the fresh pasta gently in. Stir it immediately to ensure it separates. Because it’s fresh, it will tend to stick together – and will take only three or four minutes to cook.

Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water for three minutes or until al dente. Drain the spaghetti, reserving a little of the cooking water. Place the butter in a large terrine over a saucer of simmering water. When melted, add the spaghetti and grated parmesan, Stir well, add a little of the reserved cooking water if required and serve without delay, with extra cheese to taste. If you wish, you could also cook some broccoli and mix into the sauce.