Cooking with sage
Not the most popular herb in the repertoire, nonetheless the sage leaf is a wonderful culinary addition, particularly when the new season grey/silver leaves are at their most tender. Besides the usual meat pairings (sage stuffing for poultry, marinades, etc.) sage is also great in Italian dishes. Here are a few ideas:
Fry some whole, large sage leaves in olive oil till crisp, add a light sprinkling of sea salt. and serve as an aperitif along with a chilled glass of Chardonnay (a good pairing).
As above, but when the sage is crisp, leave in the pan and add some breadcrumbs and chopped walnuts (1/2 cup each) and a little more olive oil. Fry till golden (don’t let it burn!) and then add 250-300g al dente cooked spaghettini (whole-meal if possible) to the pan and coat in the sauce. Don’t bother to drain the pasta too well, and add between 1/2-1 cup of the cooking liquid to the pan (little by little till it gets absorbed and the sauce become quite glossy). Serve with a good sprinkling of parmigiano reggiano, and some salt and pepper.
Finally, there is salvia e burro, a delicious (though nicely calorific option). Melt quite a bit of butter (with a little olive oil added so it won’t burn) in a pan and slowly cook the sage leaves. Add some cooked spaghettini or perhaps some ravioli-filled with spinach and ricotta. Again, serve with a good sprinkling of parmigiano reggiano, and some salt and pepper.
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