Saffron Cream Pasta

One balmy summer evening in London, I was attending two back-to-back concerts at the Proms. Thankfully there was an hour between them - just long enough for my friends to steer me to a nearby restaurant, and for us to wolf down a delicious pasta meal. My choice was roasted vegetables in a creamy saffron sauce, which was so fabulous that I've been wanting to recreate this recipe ever since.






Saffron Cream Pasta
Serves 2

200g pasta
1 courgette (zucchini)
1 sweet pointed pepper
6 large mushrooms

For the sauce
1tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
200ml milk
1 small onion
1 clove garlic
1tbsp saffron
¼tsp grated nutmeg
salt & black pepper (to taste)
1tbsp thick double cream

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, and add the flour, stirring until it forms a roux.
2. Add the milk a little at a time, stirring until the mixture is smooth, and bring to the boil over a low heat.
3. Meanwhile, finely chop the onion and garlic, and fry for a couple of minutes.
4. Add the saffron, nutmeg, a little black pepper, and onion/garlic mixture to the sauce.
5. Boil gently until the sauce reduces to a thick consistency. Add more salt and pepper to taste, and set the sauce aside.
6. Chop the courgettes, mushrooms, and peppers into bite-sized pieces and fry over a medium heat.
7. While the vegetables are cooking, boil the pasta according to the instructions on the packet.
8. Once everything is a couple of minutes from ready, return the heat to a gentle heat, and add the extra cream. Add a little more milk if the sauce has thickened too far.
9. Drain the pasta, add the vegetables, and stir through the sauce before serving.