Method

This is a really good pasta dish, great for all the family, and it makes a little bit of smoked salmon go a long way. Use rocket instead of watercress if you can't get hold of it.

Fill a large saucepan with water, add 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to the boil.

Add the tagliatelle and cook for 10-12 minutes (or follow the instructions on the packet), stirring occasionally, until just tender.

In the meantime, place the crème fraîche in a saucepan on a low heat and gently warm through for 1 minute.

Add the smoked salmon strips and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cook the peas in a small saucepan of boiling, salted water (I usually take some of the pasta cooking water from the large saucepan) for 1-2 minutes or until just cooked.

Add the peas to the crème fraîche mixture along with three-quarters of the Parmesan cheese, the lemon juice and half of the chives, and stir together.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.

Drain the cooked pasta (leaving a couple of tablespoons of the cooking liquid in the saucepan) and return it to the saucepan, removed from the heat.

Scatter with the watercress and pour over the crème fraîche mixture.

Toss everything together so that all the ingredients are well combined and check the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper or lemon juice if necessary.

Divide between plates or pasta bowls, scatter with the remaining chives and serve.

This recipe and many more are available in Rachel's new book, 'Rachel Allen: Home Cooking', published by Harper Collins.