spaghetti with australian native spices

If you have a well stocked pantry, you're never short of a tasty meal. We bring you a recipe that you can bring together in under 30 mins with staples like pasta, nuts and dried herbs. 

As our collection of indigenous spices has grown over the years we have loved experimenting with flavours, creating new dishes and putting a fresh spin on old ones.

​My recipe for spaghetti with lemon myrtle, Tasmanian pepperberries, saltbush and macadamias is a celebration of Native Australian flavours. I've also included Australian pepitas, which - much like pepperberries - are taken to the next level of taste and texture when toasted. Crunchy garlic croutons are a moreish nod to the Italian inspiration, while a generous splash of lemon juice and our vibrant, NSW-produced Tawari Grove Olive Oil brings it all together. The result tastes both modern and traditional, complex but simple, sharp and zesty yet comfortingly familiar.

Prep time: 5 mins; Cooking time: 15 mins
Serves 4

Ingredients:
375g spaghetti 
3 tsp lemon myrtle
1 tsp saltbush 
1 lemon (juice + zest)
2- 4 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp whole pepperberries (this equates to approx 10 pepperberries) 
⅓ cup raw macadamias, roughly chopped or halved
¼ cup Australian pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
2 slices bread, cubed (aim for 16 cubes per slice & this will give you a good size for croutons)
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ cup olive oil

Method:
Zest and juice one lemon, set aside.

Make croutons: Toss bread cubes in a small bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, a scattering of salt and ¼ tsp garlic powder.

Fill a large pot with water, place on the stove and add a generous teaspoon of salt. Turn heat on high and when it comes to the boil add spaghetti. Take care to move the spaghetti about for the first couple of minutes, making sure it doesn't stick together.

Test the spaghetti from 8 mins to see if it's cooked. Before draining, scoop out a ladle or 2 of the cooking water and reserve in a jug or mug to add back to the pasta later. Drain the pasta in a colander in the sink. You can leave it draining in the colander while you finish off anything else that needs doing.

While pasta cooks, heat a medium fry pan on med/low and add macadamias and pepitas. Shuffle them about for about 2-3 mins as they toast, but watch carefully as they can quickly overcook and burn. As soon as they turn a little golden, remove the pan from heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl - you’ll be using this bowl to toss everything together at the end so make sure it’s roomy!

​Set the bowl aside and put the pan back on heat. Now add the pepperberries. Toast them over a medium heat for approx 2 mins, then carefully tip them onto a cutting board. Crush them with the side of a knife, then transfer to the bowl with macadamias and pepitas. Set aside.

Return the pan to the stovetop. Add bread cubes and toast over a low heat until lightly golden - up to 5 mins. When they’re close to being ready, add a drizzle more of olive oil to the pan then the crushed garlic. After 1 min, when the garlic smells sweetly fragrant, remove the pan from heat and  add the garlicky croutons to the mixing bowl with the toasted macadamias, pepitas and pepperberry mix. Add the spaghetti, lemon juice and zest to the bowl plus the lemon myrtle and saltbush and a splash of the reserved pasta water, and toss gently to evenly coat. Add more pasta water if necessary. Season with salt to taste.

You're ready to serve!

Pimp My Recipe:
Add any or all of the following at the very last step before serving:
Fresh herbs - a handful of chopped parsley, dill or basil adds extra liveliness to the dish
Chilli flakes - just a pinch can really deliver a fabulous element
Parmesan - use a vegetable peeler to make large curls of Parmesan to garnish your pasta