- 600ml/20fl oz double cream
- 40g/1½oz dried ancho chillies (mild Mexican chilli pepper, available from larger supermarkets), left whole
- 1 lemon, whole peeled zest only
- ½ onion, skin on
- 4 cloves
- 150g/5oz linguine
- 200g/7oz parmesan, grated
- 4 smoked garlic cloves (available from larger supermarkets), finely chopped
- 2 tsp cracked black peppercorns
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 25g/1oz fresh basil leaves
- Heat the double cream in a lidded saucepan over a gentle heat. Add the ancho chillies and whole lemon peel. Stud the onion half with the cloves and add it to the pan.
- Bring the mixture gently to a simmer. Just as it starts to bubble, turn off the heat, cover the pan with the lid and leave it on the hob to infuse for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the linguine in a pan of boiling, salted water as per the packet instructions. Drain well into a colander and set aside for 10 minutes, until the cooked pasta is dry and sticky.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the grated parmesan, smoked garlic and cracked black pepper until well combined. Stir in the linguine, mixing well.
- Heat half of the oil in a small, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Gather up the pasta and cheese mixture into a ball using your hands, then press it down into the frying pan and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until crisp and golden-brown on both sides but soft in the middle.
- When the sauce has infused, blend it in a food processor with the remaining oil until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve, then stir the basil into the strained sauce.
- To serve, slice the noodle cake into 8 portions. Serve in bowls with the sauce alongside.