Square noodles with saffron sauce, pasta quadrata allo zafferano, Aaron's pasta palazzo, a growing archive of all that is pasta

PASTA QUADRATA
ALLO ZAFFERANO

Square noodles with saffron sauce

Serves 6 as a first course

Despite the Italian name, I came up with this recipe in France. Saffron is uncommon in Italian cooking, but it gives this dish a light, sophisticated flavour. And yes, this sauce really does like its noodles square. It makes a perfect first course or light lunch.
This sauce does not keep well.

1 scant teaspoon of saffron threads
45g (1½ oz) butter
½ large spanish (juicy) onion, finely chopped
150ml (5 fl oz) double/heavy cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
450g (1lb) fresh tonnarelli or linguine

METHOD

Break up the saffron threads a little with your fingers, then place them in a cup, stir in two tablespoons of boiling water and leave to soak. Heat the buttter in a pan and gently fry the finely chopped onion until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the saffron threads and their liquid, then stir in the cream and remove from the heat. Season to taste.

Meanwhile cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain and transfer to a heated serving dish. Reheat the saffron sauce, if necessary, then pour it over the pasta and mix well. Serve immediately.

If you must have parmesan cheese, use it sparingly.