Now is the perfect time to buy delicious British grown tomatoes and courgettes or harvest them from your own garden, so what better way to enjoy these tasty seasonal treats than in a wonderful pasta dish like this.
Ingredients
500 g spaghetti (or pasta of choice)
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 large yellow courgette, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 - 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
500 g passata
1 dessert spoon tomato purée
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Bunch of fresh basil, chopped (plus stalks chopped separately)
20 g shaved Parmesan
Chilli flakes
Olive oil
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
Method
- Add a splash of olive oil to a pan and gently fry the onion and courgette for around 5 minutes until soft and slightly browned.
- Add the garlic, basil stalks, fresh chilli and cherry tomatoes and continue to cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the passata, purée, balsamic vinegar and cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has reduced and thickened. Season to taste.
- Stir in the chopped basil leaves (save some to garnish) and turn off the heat.
- Meanwhile cook the spaghetti according to instructions on the packet, until al dente.
- Drain the pasta, but retain a little of the cooking water.
- Add the drained pasta to the sauce and if necessary, add some of the cooking water to loosen the sauce a little.
- Serve topped with shaved Parmesan, fresh basil and a few chilli flakes.
Serves 4
