store cupboard essentials with The Modern house
This time most of us now face at home, while of course frustrating and uncertain, presents opportunities too, and cooking something nourishing, sustaining and perhaps a little more challenging than a standard weeknight meal is certainly one way to make the most of things. In this isolation edition of our food series, we visit the kitchen of cook Anna Barnett (who we previously met at her last place, a shared house in a converted pub in east London) to get her store cupboard essentials and a recipe for homemade tagliatelle with braised fennel and peas. Making this at home? Show us the results using the hashtag #themodernmenu on Instagram.
Anna, what are your store cupboard essentials?
“Great sea salt flakes are an absolute staple in our household. A good stockpile of black peppercorns is also essential, I use endless amounts in every meal.
“Anchovies, eaten straight from the jar (my preference) or used as the base to a great pasta sauce, in stews and pretty much everything else.
“Tinned cherry tomatoes are definitely my preference over the regular plum tomatoes. They are super sweet, so no sugar is needed when cooking with them.
“Butterbeans and chickpeas. These are so great for everything from salads to stews and even snacks (roast them up with herbs and spices for a crunchy snack).
“‘00’ flour. There’s nothing more brilliant than making your own pasta so this has to be included. ‘00’ (double zero) flour is finer that normal flour, making it suitable for fresh pasta making.
“I’m a big fan of rice dishes and can often be found cooking up congees, biryanis as well as the humble but brilliant egg fried rice. These are all super simple recipes but so delicious.
“Chilli flakes. An incredible easy way to add spice to your cooking and can be used in pretty much any dish. They’re a must have.
“Capers. A great way to add a bit of salty seasoning to your dish. Fry them up until crisp and use in salads, stews and rice dishes. They’re delish.
“Dried, Greek-style oregano. After holidaying in Greece, I can’t get enough of dried oregano. It’s delicious in salads and soups and is great for seasoning meats and vegetables. Throw it in everything!”
What’s always in your fridge?
“I like to make sure I always have a good selection of fresh herbs. Parsley, dill, sage and coriander are my go-tos. You can liven up any dish with a hit of fresh herbs.
“Condiments too; my fridge is packed full of them, Dijon, harissa, an array of chilli sauces, pickled and fermented veg, kimchi – all are brilliant additions to any dish or great when whipping up a marinade or sauce.”
And what can’t you ever go without?
“A good loaf of sourdough and great coffee are probably mainstays in our kitchen…you’ve got to the start the day right!”
Braised fennel with peas and homemade tagliatelle
Feeds 4-6
Preparation Time – 10 minutes
Resting Time – 30 minutes
Cooking Time – 25 minutes
Ingredients –
Fresh Pasta
400g ‘00’ flour
generous sprinkle of table salt
4 medium free-range eggs (Heritage Breed variety gives you a more vibrant/orange coloured pasta)
Sauce –
several generous glugs of olive oil
1 white onion – finely diced
3 cloves of garlic – crushed, peeled and finely sliced
1 star anise
1 small/medium bulb of fennel – finely sliced on a mandolin (fennel tops set to one side to garnish)
1 large glass of white wine
250ml vegetable stock
200g fresh or frozen peas
2 sprigs of dill – picked
generous sprinkle of sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
sprinkle of dried oregano
Garnish –
1-2tbsp fennel pollen
Zest of half a lemon
40g Parmesan – finely grated
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Instructions
Begin by making your pasta as you will need to place it in the fridge to rest before rolling it out.
Pour your flour out onto your work surface and make a well in the middle. Crack your eggs into the well, add the salt and using a fork combine the eggs and flour until it all comes together. Once it starts to create a paste, roll up your sleeves and get your hands involved. You’ll need to knead the dough for around five minutes or until the dough is smooth and springy. When you slice into it you should see air pockets. Wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge for at least thirty minutes before rolling it out.
Once rested divide your dough into four pieces (keep the pieces you are not rolling out wrapped in clingfilm to avoid them drying out) then using a rolling pin roll out each piece into a rectangular shape ready to pass through your pasta machine. Be sure to pass it through each setting twice, starting with the largest and working your way down to the second smallest before finally passing it through the tagliatelle setting. You can also roll this out with a rolling pin, just ensure you roll out the pasta until it’s almost transparent and gently flour and fold into four before slicing it into tagliatelle.
For the sauce heat several generous glugs of olive oil in a large heavy based dish and place over a medium heat. Add onions, garlic and star anise and allow to sweat until the onion is translucent. This should take around six or seven minutes. Next add in the fennel and allow to cook for several minutes until it softens. Increase the heat and add in the white wine, bringing it to a boil to cook off any alcohol. After a minute or so add in the stock and peas and allow to continue to cook until your pasta is ready. Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly.
To cook your pasta bring a large pan of generously salted water to the boil and once boiling add your pasta. Ensure at this stage that everything else is pretty much ready to go as it will only take a few minutes to cook. Gently stir the pasta for the first minute or so ensuring it doesn’t stick and allow to cook until al dente. This should take around one to two minutes. Using tongs transfer the pasta directly from the water into your sauce and gently combine. Grate in your lemon zest, add a little extra black pepper, throw in the fennel tops and the fresh dill then finish with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.