This creates a lively combination of summery flavours, which zing on the palette. You really need to have a pasta machine to do this well – a rolling pin won’t get the pasta consistently thin enough to create the pasta sandwich which encapsulates the rocket leaves. This will make twice the amount of past that you need, but it freezes well in cling film. If you don’t use all the pesto, it goes very well in a cheese sarnie

Pasta:-

100g ‘00’ Italian pasta flour + extra for rolling out

1 large egg

finely ground semolina to keep layers of pasta separate (or extra flour)

10g parmesan, finely grated

20 small rocket leaves, thick stalks removed

½ level teasp nutmeg

Rocket Hazelnut Pesto:-

25g rocket leaves

20g lightly toasted hazelnuts

2 teasp of chopped chives

30-40ml light olive oil

10g parmesan cheese or hard goat’s cheese

Salad:-

½ big fennel bulb, plus the fronds on top

1 dsp white balsamic vinegar

½ tbsp water

a dot of agave syrup or a sprinkle of sugar

a teasp finely chopped dill (optional)

a good pinch of sea salt

a handful of salad leaves

extra parmesan

• First, make the pasta, by putting the flour, nutmeg and egg into a mixing bowl. Mix together with your hands until the mixture becomes a dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until silky and smooth. Wrap in cling film and put in the fridge for a minimum of two hours (or overnight)

• Cut the dough in half. (Freeze half). With the remaining amount cut the dough in two. Gradually pass the first dough half through the pasta machine so it is super thin - setting 3 works on our machine. Flour a surface and place this first pasta layer on it. Dot the rocket leaves over the pasta and sprinkle the parmesan evenly over it. Duplicate the process with the second layer of pasta and put the matching ends together. Press together. Put this pasta ‘sandwich’ back into pasta machine back to an open setting. Reduce back to a medium setting in the machine, then cut into 4cm ribbons. Put on a plate covered with either flour or semolina to stop sticking together. Set aside to dry out slightly.

• Meanwhile, make the Rocket Hazelnut pesto. At an oven setting of 180C, lightly roast the hazelnuts for 5 minutes. Blitz all ingredients together, season and check flavour balances. Set aside

• 30 minutes before serving, cut the fennel into very thin slices using a knife or mandolin. Put in a bowl with sugar/agave, salt, water, dill and vinegar. Allow to infuse for 25 minutes

• Get a large pan of water on a rolling boil, then cook the pasta until al dente, usually 3 to 4 minutes. Meanwhile, drain the fennel, arrange on plates with the salad leaves. Place the pasta ribbons on top and finish with some extra grated parmesan. Serve with the hazelnut pesto