Pâtes à la Liégeoise
Classic Walloon skillet pasta featuring ribbons of tagliatelle tossed with crispy smoked Ardennes bacon lardons, crushed juniper berries, shallots, crème fraîche, and a touch of tart Sirop de Liège.
Ingredients
- • 350g tagliatelle or wide ribbon pasta
- • 200g smoked Ardennes bacon lardons (lardons d'Ardenne)
- • 2 banana shallots, finely diced
- • 6 juniper berries, lightly crushed in a mortar
- • 2 tbsp artisanal Sirop de Liège (apple and pear syrup)
- • 150ml thick crème fraîche
- • 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- • 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- • Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Preparation Steps
Cook the tagliatelle in a large pot of boiling salted water for 8 to 9 minutes until al dente. Drain, reserving half a cup of the starchy cooking water.
In a wide sauté pan over medium-high heat, fry the smoked lardons until the fat renders and the edges turn crispy and amber. Add the shallots and crushed juniper berries, cooking for 3 minutes until the shallots soften.
Deglaze the pan with the cider vinegar, scraping up the browned pan juices. Stir in the Sirop de Liège and crème fraîche, simmering for 2 minutes until the sauce turns glossy and lightly caramelised.
Toss the drained pasta directly into the sauce with a splash of reserved cooking water. Toss until every strand is coated, season with black pepper and sea salt, scatter with chopped parsley, and serve hot.