Linguine Aglio e Olio

Method

1. Get a large pan containing two litres of water on to boil. Peel and very thinly slice the garlic. Use 10-12 cloves — about 60-70g of garlic in total is required for this recipe. That may sound like a lot, but do not be tempted reduce it. Garlic is the hero ingredient in this dish, and as it is cooked fairly slowly in lots of olive oil, it becomes quite sweet and loses any harshness.

2. Wash, trim and deseed the chilies. Discard the seed and pith, and slice the chillies thinly. Wash and chop the flat-leaf parsley, discarding any thicker stalks.

3. Once the pan of water has come to the boil, add two teaspoons of sea salt and the dried linguine. Once the water has come back to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook the pasta for eight minutes and no longer. The pasta does not need any more time than this as it will cook a little more in the sauce when you are finishing the dish.

4. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick pan.

5. Add the sliced garlic, then reduce the heat to medium/low and cook until the garlic has turned a light golden brown. Keep a careful eye on the pan as you do not want to overcook the garlic or it will taste bitter and not very pleasant. Give the pan a gentle swirl or stir every few minutes to make sure the garlic is cooking evenly. This will take about four minutes.

6. While the garlic is cooking, get another nonstick pan on over a high heat. Add a little olive oil to coat the pan. Use some kitchen towel to pat the salmon fillets dry, reduce the heat to medium and add the fish to the pan. Cook for three to four minutes each side until it the skin is crisp, and the top of the fillet is golden.

7. By now, your garlic should be lightly golden brown. Add the sliced chillies and cook for another minute or two.

8. Drain the pasta, reserving a few cups of the cooking water and add the cooked linguine to the pan of oil, garlic, and chilli. Add a small ladle of the reserved pasta cooking water and toss the pasta to coat it thoroughly. The water will emulsify with the oil to give you a smooth silky sauce.

9. Remove the pan from the heat and add the parsley, grated parmesan cheese and the lemon juice. Toss to combine the cheese with the sauce, adding a little more of the reserved pasta water if needed to loosen it up and make it silky smooth.

10. Add a good grind of black pepper and taste to check the seasoning. Given the salt in the cooking water and the saltiness of the parmesan, I find I do not need to add any more salt to this dish, but if you feel it needs a little, add it now.

11. Your salmon should be perfectly cooked at this stage. Finish it with a splash of lemon juice, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and a grind of black pepper and you are ready to serve.

12. Divide the pasta across four warm pasta bowls. Add a fillet of salmon to each bowl, and finish with a scattering of more chopped flat leaf parsley and a few lemon wedges.

13. Serve immediately.