It is July and there are ripe red cherry tomatoes being harvested on the farm, they are then packed and delivered across the country to your doorstep. My kids and I saw them growing first hand, in the tunnels, at the farm walk last Saturday and it truly made me appreciate how special they really are.
A simple dish like this really celebrates the cherry tomato. This recipe was shared by an Italian Nonna (granny) she said using the best ingredients is what matters most. I think she’s right. Like her I added some bicarbonate of soda to the sauce this balances the acidity in the tomatoes and really elavates the sweetness. Try it and tell us what you think!
Lou 🙂
Ingredients: Serves 2
- 500g cherry tomatoes
- 250g spaghetti or tagliatelle pasta
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- pinch salt
- 10 fresh basil leaves
- feel free to add parmesan
Method:
- Step 1: Rinse the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. Finely slice the garlic cloves.
- Step 2: Warm a wide pan on a medium heat. Add a good glug of oil to the pan along with the sliced garlic, cook for a minute.
- Step 3: Pour in the cherry tomatoes cook for a few minutes. Then add the bicarbonate of soda, chilli flakes, sugar and salt. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the tomatoes start to soften.
- Step 4: Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salty water. Then add straight to the cooked tomatoes, stir to coat, add the fresh basil leaves and serve up. Bellissimo!
