Fresh Trofie with Spicy Olive & Sun Dried Tomato Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

1 onion
3 garlic cloves
1 chilli
80g kalamata olives, pitted
30g sun dried tomatoes
400g tin of cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
250g fresh trofie pasta
100g baby leaf spinach

Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 25 mins

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Method

1. Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and thinly slice the garlic cloves. Trim the stalk off the chilli, then finely chop the chilli (scraping out the seeds if you prefer less heat). Use a pair of kitchen scissors to snip the sun dried tomatoes into small pieces, if they are dehydrated. If they were in oil, roughly chop them. Roughly chop the pitted olives.

2. Pour 2 tbsp olive oil into a large pan and warm over a medium heat. Slide in the chopped onion, chilli and garlic cloves. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and stir well. Cook the onions for 5-6 mins, till starting to soften.

3. When the onions are glossy, pour in the tinned cherry tomatoes. Swill out the tin with 200ml water (around half the tin) and pour that into the pan. Drizzle in the vinegar and add the chopped olives and sun dried tomatoes. Stir well, pop on a lid, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook gently for 15-20 mins, till the sauce has thickened.

4. Meanwhile, fill a separate pan up with water and add a pinch of salt. Pop the pan onto the hob, cover with a lid and bring to the boil. When the tomato sauce is almost ready, add the troife pasta to the boiling water. Simmer the pasta for 4 mins, till just cooked with a slight bite. Drain the cooked pasta well.

5. When the pasta is cooking, tip the spinach leaves into the tomato sauce and stir till wilted. Taste of the sauce and add more salt, pepper or a pinch of sugar from your cupboard, if you think it’s necessary.

6. When the pasta is cooked and drained, add it to the pan with the tomato sauce. Toss the pasta and sauce together, till the sauce coats the pasta. Toss everything together, till the sauce coats the pasta. Divide between warm plates and serve.

7. Love Your Leftovers
The pasta and sauce will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge in airtight tubs. Divide the noodles and vegetables between tubs and seal. Reheat in the microwave or on the hob, with an extra splash of water or stock, till piping hot.

8. A Spoonful Of Sugar
Seasoning tomato-based sauces with a pinch of sugar can help balance out the acidity of the tomatoes, giving you a smoother tasting sauce. You can use any sugar, or even a dash of maple or agave syrup – just add it at the end, stir to mix, then wait 30 secs before tasting to check the sauce has a balanced mix of flavours.