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Spaghetti with salt cod, pecorino and basil

Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

Stock

  • 2 sticks celery
  • 1 onion
  • fennel trimmings
  • parsley stalks
  • black peppercorns

Pasta

  • 350 g cod or salt cod
  • 1 onion small
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 450 g spaghetti
  • 100 g pecorino finely grated
  • 1 handful fresh basil

Instructions

  • If you are using salt cod (rather than fresh), poach the fish gently in some stock (made by simmering 1 litre of water with the ingredients above for at least an hour). Once the fish is opaque and cooked through, but still tender (taste!), lift it out with a slotted spoon, blot with kitchen towel, pull away the skin, then use a fork to break the flesh into large flakes.
  • In a large frying pan, saute the onion in olive oil until soft. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of salted water until al dente, then lift into the onion pan with any residual water clinging to it. Pull the frying pan from the heat, add the pecorino, and mix well until creamy – adding more pasta cooking water if necessary. Add the torn basil and flaked fish, toss again, serving with more grated pecorino.