Pasta with sage butter: the ultimate in comfort carbs

This pasta with sage butter is served with roasted breadcrumbs for absolute dinner perfection when you need a meal that feels like a warm hug.

There is so much beauty to this recipe: it's simple; carbs all around; you don't have to be very precise with measurements either; and we've seen it made in an Italian home where practice and personal preference overrules all instruction...

On that note, here is a recipe that you can follow as loosely or by the book as you'd like. 

For more recipes and food advice, visit our hub page.

Sage and butter breadcrumb pasta recipe

Ingredients:

For this rich pasta dish for two, you will need:

• Pasta, either spaghetti or penne, 300 grams
• Unsalted butter, 100grams
• Fresh sage leaves, 50 grams
• Breadcrumbs, 150 grams
• Garlic cloves, two, peeled
• Salt, to taste
• A little olive oil, for the pasta

Method:

1. In a frying pan or skillet, begin frying the butter and the breadcrumbs on medium heat; the more of the butter the breadcrumbs soak up, the better.

2. Meanwhile, bring water to the boil in a large saucepan. Season with salt and add a tiny bit of olive oil before adding the pasta.

3. Add the sage leaves to the butter and breadcrumbs. You want the butter to start going a toasty brown (not burnt), and the breadcrumbs should turn a rich golden colour and crisp up. You will know that it's going right when everything begins to smell delicious and somewhat nutty. Season lightly with salt.

4. Reduce the water to a simmer and add the garlic cloves to the breadcrumb pan. You want the garlic to slightly enhance the flavour, not take over. Keep the garlic in for a couple of minutes, then discard. Turn off the heat.

5. Drain the pasta and add to the frying pan, coating it in the buttery sauce. Serve in pasta bowls with grated parmesan. 

More pasta recipes:

• How to make pasta – from scratch
• Pasta primavera: an easy recipe to use up veg
• Vegan pasta sauce: red pepper pesto