Nigella

Ruby Noodles

It's true that these made their debut in the 'Christmas Comforts' chapter of Cook, Eat, Repeat as a sprightly and sharp antidote to all the rich feasting (and also, it must be admitted, because of their fabulously festive colours) but this cold tangle of sour-sweet noodles is to be found on my table all year around. The noodles in question are actually spaghetti, and they are not born red, so to speak, but gain their garnet-gleaming hue — if I may change jewels suddenly — by being boiled for half their cooking time in water, as normal, and then finished off in beetroot juice (from a carton) that is spiked with soy sauce, chilli, ginger, garlic and lime. There is fish sauce in the dressing that anoints them once cooked, but simply replace this with vegan "fish" sauce to make the dish vegan. Those who feel hesitant about the idea of cold noodles need only to try this recipe to be convinced. But if you wish, however, to eat these more traditionally as pasta, then follow the first three steps only of the recipe below, but leave the ginger out of the beetroot juice, halve the garlic and chilli, replace the lime with two teaspoons of lemon juice, and toss the cooked pasta straightaway with extra virgin olive oil and dill, decant to a serving bowl and crumble a salty snow of feta on top. I haven’t tried it, but friends tell me that plant-based feta is actually good, so you could even make this vegan-friendly, too. For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.