Creamy Smoked Fish Pappardelle with Garlic, Parsley, Lemon and Capers

If you adore comforting foods like smoked fish pie or the ever-popular kedgeree, you will love Sarah Tuck's creamy pasta recipe.

Ingredients 

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 brown onion, chopped

1 stick celery, finely chopped

1/2 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped

grated zest of 1 lemon

freshly ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1/3 cup dry white wine

800g smoked fish, deboned, skin removed and roughly flaked

300ml cream

500g papardelle

1/3 cup pasta water

1/2 cup roughly chopped parsley (2 tbsp reserved for garnish)

1/3 cup capers, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons caperberries to garnish (optional)

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan (reserve a little to garnish)

Pangrattato (toasted breadcrumbs) 

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 slices thick white bread or ciabatta, roughly pulsed in food processor to chunky crumbs

1/3 cup pinenuts

2 cloves garlic, crushed

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Serves 6.

Smoked Fish Pappardelle

Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot over a medium heat and cook onion, celery, chilli, lemon zest and pepper until softened, for about 10 minutes. Add garlic, wine and half of the fish to the pot and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, stirring to combine. Add cream, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes -  the fish will break up and not look very attractive, but this is OK (lovely chunky bits of fish to be added later!). 

Cook pasta according to packet instructions, and remove from heat as soon as al dente. Drain and reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta water to add to the sauce. While the pasta drains, add the remaining fish, parsley and capers to the sauce and stir through. Add pasta and parmesan to the sauce, fold to combine and serve topped with a little reserved parmesan, parsley, caperberries (optional), pangrattato and lemon juice and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. If you want something on the side, simply cooked beans are the perfect match, and of course a lovely glass of red.

A little side note here - watch out for the tricky little fine bones in the fish - as you flake it just feel through it with your fingers, and keep an eagle eye out!