Tahini fettuccini

Serves 4

This one is for my pasta lovers who want something a bit different! Using wholewheat fettuccini in this pasta dish is a great addition to this nutty sauce, freckled with middle eastern spices.

Ingredients:

• 1 pack of wholewheat fettuccini

• 1/2 a jar of tahini

• 1 tbsp of cumin seeds

• 2 tbsp of black sesame seeds

• 1 tbsp of ground cumin

• 2 tbsp of za’attar

• 2 tbsp of black cumin seeds/ nigella seeds

• 1 tbsp of crushed coriander seeds

• salt

• olive oil
  
  
  

Method

Step 1: Cook Pasta

Fill the kettle and bring it to the boil. Whilst the kettle is boiling place a large pan on a high heat, when the kettle has boiled pour the contents into the pan. This should instantly create boiling water and is a great way to save energy! Season the water with salt and then tip in your fettuccini, cook until al dente.

Step 2: Make tahini sauce

To a large pan add in a VERY generous glug of olive oil, along with 1 tbsp of crushed corrinander seeds, 1 tbsp of cumin seeds and 2 tbsp of black sesame seeds. Place the pan on a medium heat, once the spices have been frying for a few minutes and are nicely toasted, add 1 tbsp of ground cumin, 1 tbsp of za’attar and a good pinch of salt. Give it a little stir, after a few seconds of sizzling pour in half a jar of tahini. The sauce will begin to look split but once you add the starchy pasta it will emulsify.

Step 3: Add pasta

Once your pasta is perfectly al dente add it to the spiced tahini sauce, along with a couple ladles of pasta water. begin to ‘work’ your pasta, rapidly moving it around the pan. The starch from the pasta will thicken and emulsify the sauce, if the sauce is too thick add a could more ladles of pasta water, until each strand of fettuccini is gorgeously coated in this nutty sauce.

Step 4: Plate up

Adjust the seasoning, if needed, then twist and spoon your fettuccini onto a pate, sprinkle over some some extra za’attar and black cumin seeds and dig in!