Pesto & Tomato Spaghetti


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Ingredients:

Serves 4

For the pesto:

  • 50g fresh basil leaves
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 3 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 100ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 40g Parmesan cheese, grated

For the pasta:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 450g small plum tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • half teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • half teaspoon caster sugar
  • 300g spaghetti
  • Parmesan shavings and basil leaves for decoration

Method:

To make the pesto:

  1. Grind the basil, garlic, pine nuts and olive oil with a pestle and mortar bowl. Alternatively, you can use a food processor or a hand blender and a bowl.
  2. Add the grated parmesan and continue to blend until combined.

To make the tomato spaghetti:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the tomatoes and cook for 6-8mins until they start to break up.
  2. Remove the pan from the heat and add the balsamic vinegar, salt and sugar.
  3. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to the instructions on the packet. Drain.
  4. Combine the spaghetti into the tomato mixture in the frying pan.
  5. Then add the pesto to the tomato spaghetti and stir thoroughly.
  6. Divide the pasta mixture between four warmed serving bowls.
  7. Scatter the Parmesan shavings over the top of each and decorate with a few basil leaves

Notes:

This recipe is a wonderful mix of rich, baby plum tomatoes and home made pesto combined into a sauce that clings beautifully to spaghetti. Making pesto is far simpler than you think and the taste is far superior to anything you can buy in a supermarket. If you really don't want to make it from scratch you can use a jar of pesto. Just be careful of the amount, two to three teaspoons should be plenty.
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