ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH SMOKED SALMON AND GOLDEN CAVIAR - Recipe

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ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH SMOKED SALMON AND GOLDEN CAVIAR

Serves 4 as an appetizer, 2 as a main dish

Ingredients

Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground white pepper
Salt
8 ounces fresh angel hair or other thin pasta strands, or dried angel hair or other thin pasta strands
3 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut into thin julienne strips
2 ounces golden caviar (American whitefish roe), salmon roe, or good-quality imported caviar
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives or dill, or whole baby chervil leaves

Directions

Fill a pasta pot with water. Add a drizzle of the olive oil. Put the pot over high heat and bring the water to a full boil.
Meanwhile, pour the heavy cream into a large skillet. Add a few grinds of white pepper to taste. Just before you cook the pasta, bring the cream to a boil over medium-high heat and then remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
Add a light sprinkling of salt to the boiling water. Add the pasta, stir briefly to separate the strands, and cook until the pasta is al dente, tender but still slightly chewy, following the suggested cooking time on the package. (Note that fresh pasta will cook more quickly than dried.)
Drain the pasta. Immediately rinse it quickly under hot running water and then drain again.
Add the pasta, still slightly dripping, to the hot cream in the skillet. Scatter in the smoked salmon strips. Return the skillet to medium heat and cook briefly, tossing with tongs or a pair of forks, just until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and the mixture is heated through. Scatter in half of the caviar and toss quickly again to combine. Taste the sauce and, if necessary, adjust the seasonings with a little salt and white pepper.
Divide the pasta among 4 warm appetizer plates or between 2 larger pasta plates or bowls, transferring it with tongs or forks and then spooning the remaining sauce from the skillet evenly over the servings. Garnish each serving with a little of the remaining caviar and a light sprinkling of chives or chervil.
Serve immediately.