One problem of living alone is finishing off food. I have been eating healthy rice and cabbage for several days now but, with a welcome punnet of mushrooms having recently arrived, decided to bring on a change.

Now would be the time to find a packet or two of dried porcini in the store cupboard and write about buying them on Campo de’ Fiori. Alas, none left and no trips to Rome for a while. So here I have made do with chestnut mushrooms. Portobello or button mushrooms are fine. A soupçon of truffle oil might be beneficial too.

• Ingredients: 100g spaghetti. 150g fresh mushrooms – see above. Half a leek, 100ml single cream, 75g Grana Padano cheese, fresh marjoram, thyme, parsley, 10g butter, the same of olive oil, black pepper and salt.
• Alternative ingredients: tagliatelle, half a courgette, parmesan cheese, garlic, a few drops of truffle oil. If you are lucky enough to have some dried porcini: approximately 15-20g dried mushrooms.

• Method: If using dried mushrooms, rehydrate according to instructions. Chop the herbs very finely, and grate or shave the Grana Padano. Put the spaghetti on, melt the butter in a non stick pan (medium heat) then add the black pepper, salt, oil and finely chopped leek. After a minute or two follow this with half the herbs, the garlic if using and all the mushrooms. After another minute turn the heat right down and cook slowly until the mushrooms seem cooked.

Just before the spaghetti is ready, pour the cream over the mushrooms and stir around a bit with a wooden spoon. When the spaghetti is ready, drain it and turn it into the mushrooms. Gently toss it all together, adding the cheese shavings, the remainder of the herbs and truffle oil if using. Eat. Perhaps a glass of Falanghina? Maybe a bit of Tosca?