Easy Eats: Roasted cherry tomato, caper and mozzarella linguine

Roasted cherry tomato, caper and mozzarella linguine Photo: Kelly Gibney

Here's an easy, mostly hands-off meal that creates minimal dishes and lets us enjoy those flavours of summer a little longer. You can use one large ball of fresh mozzarella or opt for the bite-sized version. Both will work beautifully. Baby spinach or fresh basil could be used instead of rocket leaves.

Serves 4

Prep time: 15 mins

Cooktime: 25

Ingredients

500g cherry tomatoes, halved (about 2 punnets)

¼ cup good-quality olive oil

4 large garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons capers

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Generous grind cracked black pepper

400g dried linguine

2 handfuls rocket leaves 

120g fresh mozzarella

Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees

Combine the cherry tomatoes in a large bowl with the olive oil, garlic, capers, balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Pour into a large oven-proof dish and spread out evenly. Roast for 25 minutes

Cook the linguine in a large pot of well-salted water for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain pasta and add this to the tray of tomatoes along with ¼ cup of pasta water. Toss well to coat the pasta.  Crush some of the tomatoes as you’re doing this to create a rough tomato sauce. Leave to sit for 1 minute. The pasta will continue “cooking” and absorbing the sauce in the hot pan. Toss again, adding the rocket leaves.

Break the mozzarella into pieces and scatter over the top.

Serve immediately, dividing the pasta between four bowls.

Photo: Kelly Gibney

Kelly Gibney is an Auckland-based food writer, photographer and cookbook author. Her latest book ENJOY: Food worth sharing with the people you love shares delicious and achievable ideas for making every meal memorable. She also shares weekly recipes via her newsletter.