The Italian Cookbook

Burro e salvia (Sage and butter)

· Preparation time: 5 minutes.

· Cooking time: 5 minutes.

· 100g butter.

· Bunch of fresh sage leaves

· 80g grated Parmesan

· Black pepper.

Wash and dry the sage leaves. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the sage. Cook very gently over a low flame taking care not to let the butter burn. Pour over cooked pasta and stir through well together with freshly grated parmesan. This super-quick sauce is ideal with 'naked ravioli' (ravioli filling without the pasta) but is also suitable with any short pasta. In this case, drain the cooked pasta keeping back a little of the water. Return the pasta to the saucepan, add the sage and butter and stir over a low heat for a minute.

 

Remove from the heat and stir in a good helping of grated Parmesan.

 

The sauce should look smooth and creamy; if it has dried out too much, add a few drops of milk or fresh cream. Grind a little black pepper over when serving.