Put the ’nduja into a bowl and bring to room temperature, so it becomes malleable. Add the mascarpone and lemon zest and mix together until well combined to form a smoothish paste. (This can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.)

Put the ’nduja-mascarpone paste into a pan large enough to easily hold the cooked pasta. Add half a mug (about 120ml) of the seasoned pasta water and heat gently, stirring, to melt the paste and create a sauce. Take off the heat.

Loosen the pasta bundles so they won’t stick together as they cook.

Drop the fettuccine into the boiling water and cook for about 1–1½ minutes. Drain the pasta as soon as it’s ready, keeping two mugs of pasta water.

Transfer the pasta to the ’nduja sauce and add half a mug (about 120ml) of pasta water, the lemon juice, chopped parsley and a pinch of salt.

Stir vigorously for at least 30 seconds until all the ’nduja is mixed around the pasta and you have a smooth, creamy sauce. If the sauce is too dry, add splashes of the reserved pasta water to loosen it as you stir: you want it to be loose and for the strands of pasta to slide freely over each other, and for a layer of sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and/or pepper if required.

Serve on hot plates with a creamy halo of sauce around the pasta. Finish with grated Parmesan.