Tart from the lemon, sweet from the fresh figs, smooth from the cream, and spicy from the chiles. This pasta dish can be described using any one of these adjectives, but I guess I would just call it amazing.


I love fresh figs, the gentle crunch from the interior seeds, the sweet nectar of the juice, even the ever so slightly fuzzy nature of the skin. I love it all. So as I was thumbing through Italian Easy: Recipes from the London River Cafe (thank you New York City public library), I knew that this was a recipe to try immediately. And I’m glad that I did. The play between the sweetness of the figs, and the heat of the chiles was perfect.

As a matter of fact, the entire book looks delightful. Simple recipes, straightforward presentations, and unfussed with food seem to be the hallmark of this restaurant’s cuisine. Although, I did find one element alarming, the amount of butter used in some of these recipes. As I was glancing through the risotto section, I noticed one of the basic recipes called for 2 sticks of butter to feed four people. Now that’s just frightening! Don’t get me wrong, I’m a butter lover, you won’t catch a tub of margarine around my house. But two sticks? That is just plain gratuitous.

But on to more immediate concerns…this pasta sauce. I’m afraid to even call it that. This is not a goopy cream sauce. With only 1/2 a cup of uncooked cream, the cream is there as lubrication, a conduit if you will, to get the toothsome tagliatelle noodles into ones mouth while still piping hot. And it works out beautifully. I can’t say enough stupendous things about this simple pasta dish.

Fig and Chile Tagliatelle

from Italian Easy

16 oz. egg tagliatelle
8 black skinned figs
2 dried chiles
2 lemons
2 oz. parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup heavy cream

Cut each fig into 8 pieces. Crumble the chiles. Grate the lemon peel of both lemons, and squeeze the juice of one. Grate the parmesan and reserve all.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the tagliatelle.

While the tagliatelle is cooking, heat a skillet large enough for the figs to lay in one layer. Add the olive oil, and when smoking, carefully place the figs in the pan, turning immediately to carmelize. Season, and add the chiles.

Drain the pasta. Stir the lemon zest and juice into the cream, and mix into the tagliatelle. Add the figs and serve with the parmesan.