For those who DON'T believe in “two's company, three's a crowd,” you can buy a package of “spinach tagliatelle” from the supermarket. The “others” can make their own homemade tagliatelle, in an easy and quick way, by following the detailed, step-by-step instructions found in the recipe for “Green Dough for Tagliatelle ‘Popeye the Sailorman’.” Consult them and return here for the sauce. The adventure is just beginning...

So, did you make the famous green tagliatelle? While they dry, let's move on to preparing the sauce. Check the cod fillet for any bones that may have escaped cleaning, and remove them with tweezers. Then, cut the fillet into pieces.

Put them in the mixer and chop finely.

Transfer the pieces to a bowl, add the garlic clove finely chopped (or even better, crushed with the appropriate tool), the breadcrumbs (should be very finely chopped), the grated Parmesan, the egg (whole), a little salt and pepper (careful not to overdo it), and finally, the saffron powder dissolved in a teaspoon of water (make sure it dissolves well to spread and color the entire mixture).

Knead the ingredients well until the mixture becomes smooth and uniform and acquires a bright yellow color, thanks to the saffron. The texture should not be too watery or too firm, so it can be easily worked by hand.

If you find it a bit runny to work with easily, add a little flour. Don't worry, it won't lose its color... Conversely, if it's too firm, add a little water (half a teaspoon). The egg causes all this, depending on its size, you may find yourself in one of the three situations.

Take small amounts of the mixture and shape tiny balls, the size of mimosa flowers (about 1 cm in diameter). With these quantities of ingredients, expect to make over 120!!!

If deemed necessary, place these balls in the fridge for half an hour to firm up a bit. However, it's not necessary, the “dough” is quite firm.

In a large pan (it should fit all our tagliatelle), heat the butter and oil together, adding two garlic cloves (crushed by hand to break, which will be removed later). Let them cook until they turn golden. They will have already released their aromas, so remove them.

Then add our yellow balls to the aromatic butter, let them fry for two minutes, stirring to absorb all the aromas and become crispy.

And deglaze with the brandy. My God, what aromas!!! For these alone, I deserve her to renew her vows of eternal love to me...

Add the heavy cream, adjust the salt and pepper, and turn off the heat.

Leave the pan on the burner to keep warm.

In a pot with plenty of salted water, add our tagliatelle.

(Lift them with your hands a couple of times to fluff them up, in case they have stuck together, despite the flouring)

And boil them until, when tasted, they are cooked “al dente.”

Drain them and add them to the pan with our sauce. Sauté, shaking the pan vigorously, for 2-3 minutes, to mix the tagliatelle well with the sauce.

And serve, making sure –for once– most of the sauce goes on Her plate. “Flowers for the lady,” they say, right?

Well, put a little flower next to it. She will adore you!!!