Recipe: Giovanna Eusebi's tagliatelle al tartufo from Eusebi Deli
Not only is October is National Pasta Month, today is World Pasta Day. A celebration of our favourite carb, it’s the perfect excuse to indulge in some traditional Italian cuisine.
One of Glasgow’s best-loved Italian restaurants, Eusebi Deli, is the place to go for an authentic home-style dining experience in the city. The West End restaurant is owned by Giovanna Eusebi, a third generation Italian-Scot who has grown up eating Scottish produce with an Italian twist. We chatted to her about the importance of ‘real’ pasta and asked her for her favourite super simple pasta recipe.
“Ever since I was little, pasta was a staple in my diet. From a simple ‘sugo’ or tomato sauce to a rich ragù that is slow cooked for days, pasta is a delicious and cost-effective meal that the whole family can enjoy. It’s also super easy to cook and you can adapt recipes to suit everyone’s tastes,” says Giovanna.
“At Eusebi, we make our pasta fresh every single day in our ‘pasta lab’. We do this because we want to ensure that every single guest that comes through our door gets an authentic Italian experience. We would never serve something that I wouldn’t be happy to serve to my family.”
“Sadly, there has been an influx of imitation products on supermarket shelves and even in restaurants that are lacking true Italian ingredients or passion. Real pasta should be made with just fresh eggs and flour and nothing else! There’s no need for preservatives or chemical additions.
“My parents opened the Shettleston deli over 40 years ago. Every day, the freshly made pasta was rolled out by hand. Each strand that was served was created with love, care and attention and I’m proud to say that’s still the case in Eusebi today. We carefully select each of our ingredients, whether they come from local suppliers in Glasgow or over in Italy to ensure our customers get the freshest food, full of the best flavours.
“My Nonna, Maria who lived in Italy, was the inspiration for the food we create, right down to the pasta making. Maria’s food was homegrown and made with love. It is the type of food that everyone should be eating, every day. When we opened Eusebi, I wanted her food and passion to live on. I adapted all of her simple ways of fresh, seasonal cooking and this still the basis for our menu today. We are fighting against a climate of fake, fast food and I am determined to slow things down. We make everything from scratch to share our passion with a new generation, and we will keep fighting until people understand the value of genuine, honest cooking.”
Photo Credit: Gerardo Jaconelli
Giovanna Eusebi's tagliatelle al tartufo recipe
Ingredients (Serves 4):
400g fresh egg tagliatelle pasta
125g unsalted butter
Small black truffle (approximately 10g per person)
Salt and pepper, to season
Method:
Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente.
Meanwhile, gently melt the butter in a pan. Add the cooked pasta and one ladleful of the pasta water to the pan. Continue to toss the pasta in the pan for one minute.
Serve the pasta onto warm plates. Grate the truffle over the pasta, preferably using a truffle grater and enjoy! The remaining truffle will keep for a week, stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It’s wonderful on scrambled eggs or risotto.