Black Pasta with Cod and Tomato Sauce

Fresh black pasta is very special for me as firstly I cannot get it easily in shops and secondly – even if I wanted to make it myself – I still would have a problem with getting the special ingredient. So when it is available either in a shop or in a restaurant, I always try to take advantage of such an opportunity.

The special ingredient – ink of a squid or cuttlefish - not only gives the dark colour to the pasta but also the slight taste of sea. And because of the aquatic flavour, the black pasta is best complimented by fish and seafood, just like in the recipe below.

For this recipe I tried to prepare the fish in a different way. Instead of cooking it with the tomato sauce, I used the Ceviche method: I “cooked” it in lemon juice at first and added to the sauce right at the end, only to warm up. Thanks to it the fish did have a better taste and it didn't fall apart.

INGREDIENTS (4 portions):

400g cod, skinless and boneless, cut into 3cm pieces,

2 tbsp lemon juice,

2 tbsp olive oil,

1 onion chopped,

2 garlic cloves sliced,

0.25 tsp chilli flakes,

2 tbsp chopped parsley,

1 can (~400g) plum tomatoes,

500g black pasta,

0.5 tsp sugar,

salt,

extra olive oil for drizzling,

chopped parsley.

METHOD:

1. Put the cod into a bowl, pour the lemon juice over it and mix gently not to break the fish. Leave it to “cook”. 
2.  Warm up the olive oil in a big frying pan, add the chopped onion, fry gently for 5 min. Add the garlic, chilli, parsley, stir and fry for another 3-5 minutes. 
3.  Add the chopped plum tomatoes, cook for 10 min, stirring occasionally. 
4. Boil the pasta as per packet instruction.  
5. Add the drained cod to the tomato sauce; stir gently and warm up. 
6. Mix with the black pasta and serve sprinkled with the chopped parsley.