Ever since I was little, pasta was a staple in my diet. From a simple ‘sugo’ or tomato sauce to a rich ragù that is slow-cooked for days, pasta is a delicious and cost-effective meal that the whole family can enjoy. Depending on the pasta and the sauce, it can be gluten-free, vegetarian and even vegan so it’s always an option regardless of who you’re cooking for. Pasta is super easy to cook, and you can adapt recipes to suit everyone’s tastes but the key, like all dishes, is the quality of the ingredients you use.
My parents opened Eusebi Deli in Shettleston over 40 years ago. Every day, the freshly made pasta was rolled out by hand. Each strand that was served was created with love, care and attention and I’m proud to say that’s still the case in Eusebi today. We carefully select each of our ingredients, whether they come from local suppliers in Glasgow or in Italy to ensure our customers get the freshest food, full of the best flavours. That’s also why we also change our menu four times a year. As the seasons change, we want to use the best ingredients on offer to us, so we adapt to fit with the best produce throughout the year.
Sadly, there has been an influx of imitation pasta on supermarket shelves and even in restaurants that are lacking true Italian ingredients or passion. Real pasta should be made with just fresh eggs and flour – that’s all! There’s no need for preservatives or chemical additions. At Eusebi, we make our pasta fresh every single day in our pasta lab. We do this because we want to ensure that every single guest that comes through our door gets an authentic Italian experience. We would never serve something that I wouldn’t be happy to serve to my family. After all, the restaurant is like an extension of my own home.
My Nonna, Maria who lived in Italy, is the inspiration for the food we create at the restaurant. Maria’s food was homegrown and made with love. It is the type of food that everyone should be eating, every day because it feeds the body and the soul. When we opened the restaurant in the West End, I wanted her food and passion to live on. We adapted all of her simple ways of fresh, seasonal cooking and this still the basis for our menu today. We are fighting against a climate of fake, fast food and I am determined to slow things down. We make everything from scratch to share our passion with a new generation, and we will keep fighting until people understand the value of genuine, honest cooking.
Real pasta is delicious, and we should all be enjoying it throughout the year. It’s not about spending hours in the kitchen or using expensive ingredients. It’s about the quality of the food and the love and care that you put into a dish that makes it special. You don't have to be in Italy to have great pasta. We might not have the sunshine in Glasgow, but we can guarantee your taste buds will be transported to the Mediterranean shores with our pasta dishes and a glass of vino bianco at Eusebi’s!
Tagliatelle al Tartufo
One of my favourite ways to serve pasta is simply with a little truffle and butter. It’s amazing how a little of this very special ingredient can transform a dish and give you something packed with flavour and that feels like a real treat. From a quick weeknight dinner with an added bit of luxury to a dinner party with friends, this dish is a crowd-pleaser. The remaining truffle will keep for a week, stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It’s wonderful on scrambled eggs or risotto.
Eusebi Deli is located at 152 Park Road in Glasgow. For more information or to book your table, visit http://eusebideli.com.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
400g fresh egg tagliatelle pasta
125g unsalted butter
Small black truffle (approximately 10g per person)
Salt and pepper, to season
Method:
1. Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, gently melt the butter in a pan. Add the cooked pasta and 1 ladleful of the pasta water to the pan. Continue to toss the pasta in the pan for 1 minute.
3. Serve the pasta onto warm plates. Grate the truffle over the pasta, preferably using a truffle grater and enjoy!
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