As the chilly evenings grow increasingly darker, nothing could feel further away from Yorkshire than a sun-kissed alfresco meal in the Mediterranean. Anything big or small that transports me to that summer holiday feeling is worth a try, and so I was more than happy to check out the latest dishes from La Tua Pasta.
Established back in 2006 by a couple looking to bring authentic pasta to the UK, La Tua Pasta quickly grew a cult following on the farmers market circuit (including the world-renowned Borough Market) and was soon being served in London’s top restaurants and hotels.
Fast forward to now, and La Tua Pasta is thriving, with numerous awards (including 110 Great Taste awards and counting) and an army of loyal customers. On top of that, the brand recently hooked up with Sky Original show, The Iris Affair, to create an ingeniously tasty tie-in.
Inspired by the Italian settings where the drama unfolds, the small yet perfectly crafted limited-edition menu is designed to take your taste buds on a journey around the Med.
Admittedly, I am yet to tune into The Iris Affair, but given it comes from the creative mind behind the brilliant Luther, it’s definitely on my watchlist. So, what about the pasta? Arriving beautifully packaged with plenty of ice packs, there’s no need to worry about your food spoiling on its journey.
Each menu item comes with a handy recipe card, which also has suggestions for extra ingredients you may want to add. First up, we dived into the Cavolo Nero Quadrotti (£11.51, serves 1-2), inspired by the winding streets of Florence.
Served with a fragrant sage butter and a healthy sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano, we added some toasted pine nuts to give the dish some crunch. The results were impressive. The pasta itself (which is freshly hand-made every day) was rich and silky smooth, whilst the cavolo nero and ricotta filling was creamy and slightly nutty.
We found this worked well as a starter, especially when paired with a chilled glass of Prosecco. After a short break, nibbling some nocellara olives, we got to work on the main course – Pici with Wild Boar Ragù.
Considered a true Tuscan classic, this mouthwatering dish consists of plump and velvety strands of durum wheat pici (perfect for soaking up richer sauces), and an intensely flavoured sauce that was quite honestly out of this world.
The wild boar is marinated for 24 hours in red wine, herbs and aromatic veg, before being slow-cooked for 4 hours, resulting in meltingly tender meat and a deep and robust flavour profile. Even the fussiest of nonnas would approve. Dolmio this ain’t.
We recommend pairing this dish with a glass of your favourite full-bodied red. Notte Stellata Primitivo di Manduria from M&S is an excellent choice, however, La Tua also sells a small selection of excellent wines, handpicked to complement each dish.
Final verdict
If you’re looking to score some points on your next stay-at-home date night, you can’t go wrong with La Tua Pasta. As well as delivering restaurant-quality food, it’s also extremely quick and easy to make. Each dish took less than five minutes from start to finish, and you need little to no extras.
The portions aren’t huge, so if you’re looking to feed a larger group or anyone with a heartier appetite, you may want to grab an extra portion. This is top-class cuisine you simply can’t find in your local supermarket, and the perfect antidote to those cold autumn nights.
The Iris Affair menu is available from La Tua Pasta until November 30th 2025.