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In the pursuit of “unbeatably delicious” dishes, husband and wife Imogen and Matt Royall started producing their own pasta from locally grown grains.
They make pasta from British spelt under the name Northern Pasta Co.
“This gives our pasta its distinctive texture, for ultimate sauce-clinging, while the spelt delivers a delicate nutty flavour.”
It began when Imogen, working at a local artisan bakery, discovered the flavour and feel of British spelt and wondered why it was not being used to make pasta.
So they began making it at home in Cumbria and, while making your own pasta is rewarding, they realised it was not something people would do multiple times a week.
“That was our pasta epiphany.”
They teamed up with a farmer and miller and created a pasta recipe.
“Many, many bowls of pasta later we perfected our recipe and our no-compromise Northern Pasta Co. was born.’’
They started selling the pasta at a local farmers’ market and its popularity has grown from there.
“It’s time to fall in love with pasta all over again — because pasta is a vessel for flavour. It brings so much joy to the table, and that’s what this book is all about.’’
While their pasta is not available in New Zealand, many of the recipes, written by themselves and other chefs and foodies, featured in their book Pasta for the People can be easily translated using ingredients available here.
“This book is our love letter to pasta; a celebration of its versatility, flavours and traditions.”
They include handy tips for cooking pasta — remove pasta a minute early from cooking and add to sauce, it will continue to cook absorbing some of the sauce as it does.
Lentil Bolognese Fusilli from Northern Pasta Co.
Over time, I’ve found little ways to build layers of flavour into a lentil bolognese that make it feel a bit special — nothing fancy, just smart tweaks that add depth. It’s endlessly forgiving, perfect for batch cooking and somehow tastes even better after a day in the fridge.
Serves 4
1 hour 15 mins
Veg
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
2-4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 sprigs rosemary
250g brown lentils, rinsed (substitute 500g precooked lentils for speed)
250ml (1 cup) red wine (or 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar)
2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes
1 vegetable stock cube
320g fusilli
1 bunch of basil, leaves picked
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grated (shredded) Parmesan, to serve (or substitute vegan cheese)
Method
Heat your oil in a pan on a medium heat and add the shallots, carrots, celery, garlic, rosemary and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, and once your veg is translucent (about 10 minutes) add your lentils. Stir, then add your wine. Leave to simmer until the wine has reduced (about 5 minutes). If you’ve substituted balsamic vinegar, then you don’t need to wait for it to reduce. Add your tomatoes (breaking them up with your wooden spoon as you go) and season with salt and pepper. Fill both tomato tins with water for your vegetable stock and add to the pan. You can add flavour boosters at this point — see the tip below (remember to remove your Parmesan rind before serving). Leave to simmer until the lentils are tender (1 hour). If using precooked lentils you can simmer for 15 minutes. Start cooking your pasta 10 minutes before the sauce finishes simmering, reserving some of the pasta water. Once the lentils are done and the pasta is cooked, drain your pasta. Add the basil leaves to the sauce and stir in your pasta, adding pasta water to loosen. Taste and season. Serve with a generous grating of Parmesan.
Tip
Add depth with a Parmesan rind, 1 teaspoon Marmite, bone broth (to replace the pasta water), porcini mushrooms, a couple of anchovies or 1 tablespoon miso.
Pork & Sage Conchigliette Bake by Northern Pasta Co.
The ultimate winter comfort food. This bake is soulful, simple and the kind of thing you’ll want to make on repeat.
Serves 4
50 mins
Meat
Olive oil, for frying
500g minced (ground) pork
50g butter
1 small white onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, bashed in a pestle and mortar
A few gratings of fresh nutmeg
8 sage leaves, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Large glug of dry white wine (about 60ml or ¼ cup)
200ml (scant 1 cup) chicken stock
320g conchigliette
150ml (scant ⅔ cup) double (heavy) cream
60g Parmesan, finely grated (shredded)
100g fresh white breadcrumbs
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Add a good glug of olive to a large, heavy-bottomed, ovenproof casserole dish (Dutch oven). Place on a medium-high heat and, once hot, add the minced pork. Fry for around 5 minutes, stirring every so often to ensure it all browns evenly. Once it has a good caramelisation all over, remove from the pan and set aside. Add the butter to the pan and turn the heat down to low. Add the onion, fennel seeds, nutmeg and sage leaves. Stir and cook for 5 minutes until the onion is translucent and softened. Then add the garlic and fry for a further minute. Return the browned pork to the pan, then season well with salt and pepper. Pour in the wine and let this bubble away for a minute or so before adding the stock. Simmer and let it reduce while you par-cook the pasta — half the suggested time should do. Drain the pasta once cooked. Add the cream to the ragu along with the drained pasta. Grate in the Parmesan then stir everything together. Mix the breadcrumbs with the lemon zest and a good seasoning of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Spoon this over the top of the pasta and place into the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbling and golden on top.
Roast Squash & Sage Casarecce by recipe by Joe Woodhouse
I make this often for a change from tomato-based sauces. I leave the skin on the squash as it is cut so small it doesn’t get in the way. Add a diced chilli to the oil with the garlic for welcome heat, if you like.
Serves 4
30 mins
Veg
750g butternut squash, cut into 1cm cubes (other squash work well too)
6-8 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for roasting the squash
100g almonds
25g sage leaves
1 onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
320g casarecce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grated (shredded) hard sheep's cheese or
Parmesan, and chilli flakes, to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Add the squash to a large baking tray (you may need two). Drizzle enough oil to coat the squash, then add a generous pinch of salt and stir the squash around to coat it thoroughly in the salt and oil. Place in the oven and cook for about 12-18 minutes, or until the squash is completely soft and caramelised. Put the almonds in a small baking dish in the oven and cook until fragrant and toasted, about 10-12 minutes. In a large high-sided frying pan, warm the 6-8 tablespoons oil over a medium-low heat. Add the sage and cook until it has stopped bubbling and becomes crisp. Don’t let it colour too much. Remove to a plate lined with paper towel, leaving the oil in the pan. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. If the squash is ready, add that in and crush it up a little. Texture is good but it wants to cling to the pasta as well. If the squash isn’t ready, turn off the heat under the onion mixture and wait. Just fire it back up again when ready to continue. Cook your pasta. Drain, reserving some cooking water, and add the pasta to the squash mix. Use a couple of ladlefuls of pasta water to loosen everything. Roughly chop through the almonds. Serve alongside the pasta with the cheese, chilli flakes and crispy sage.
The book: Pasta For The People by Imogen Royall, photography by Joe Woodhouse. Murdoch Books RRP $45.00.