Pasta rags with French beans in lemon cream sauce with poor man’s parmesan

Serves 4 Starters and mains

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Method

To make the pasta, put the flour and salt into a large bowl or food processor. Add the eggs and bring the mixture together, or process to make a soft, smooth dough. If you’re doing it by hand, this will require a little elbow grease, but the process can be very therapeutic! Turn the dough out onto a semolina-dusted work surface and knead for 4-5 minutes, until very smooth. Cover with cling film and leave to rest for 30 minutes.

Roll out on a work surface lightly dusted with semolina, until very thin. Tear the pasta into wide strips, keeping them similar sizes for even cooking.

Melt the butter in a pan and cook the breadcrumbs for 2-3 minutes, until crisp and golden. Stir in the garlic, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Mix all the ingredients for the sauce together in a large pan, and season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Blanch the French beans in a large pan of salted boiling water. Drain and add to the sauce.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and drop in the pasta. Cook for about two minutes, until al dente. Remove from the water with a scoop or tongs and toss immediately with the sauce in the pan, making sure that a little water has been transferred to the sauce in the process. Cook gently for a minute to heat through.

Divide between four heated pasta bowls, scatter over the poor man’s parmesan and serve.