Pasta Pasta

“Blandness is not a virtue, tastelessness is not a joy”

A week of pasta because, well, I cook a lot of it. Here, a new recipe that works as a salad or a warm dish and my most well-loved family favorite tomato and cream sauce. Nothing flash, but these are the things that sustain us. I think the most important thing to remember when making anything with tomato really, but especially a pasta sauce, is that it needs to be properly seasoned. As Marcella Hazen so perfectly put it: “A sauce must be sufficiently savory to season pasta adequately. Blandness is not a virtue, tastelessness is not a joy. If it seems barely salty enough on its own, it’s not salty enough for the pasta.”

Pasta with Tomato, Wax Beans and Dill

I wasn’t sure how to name this pasta ‘salad’. It came about as a bit of a clean-out-the-fridge meal, hence what may seem like a slightly odd assortment of things to put on pasta. But I assure you it’s delicious and as good eaten at room temperature as it is warm, hence making it an excellent picnic dish or dish to take on the go.

Olive oil

2 medium sized onions, finely sliced

A couple of handfuls of wax beans (or other fresh beans)topped and tailed and cut into 1 inch pieces

2-3 tomatoes, diced

3 cloves garlic

Zest and juice 1/2 lemon

1 large handful parsley, finely chopped

1 handful dill, finely chopped

A few large spoonfuls natural yoghurt

• In a pan with a heavy bottom and a lid add the onions and a good amount of oil- about a quarter cup or so. Add a good pinch of salt and place over medium heat with the lid on. Cook gently for about 10 minutes, lower the heat if the onion starts to colour and add a splash more oil if it starts to catch or looks dry. The onion-y oil is what gives the dish its base flavour so don’t skimp on the oil.

• After 10 minutes or so, when the onion is soft and translucent, add the beans and tomato and another good pinch of salt  and cook for a further 20 minutes or more until the beans are rendered completely soft and the tomato is broken down. Stir from time to time to be sure the mix doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan. And adjust heat as necessary- low and slow is what you are going for here.

• Add the garlic and stir for a couple of minutes until fragrant then add the lemon zest and the juice and gently stir through the herbs. Add more salt to taste- you want it to be a little saltier than you might prefer at this point, don’t worry it won’t be too salty once it’s mixed though the pasta.

• Add the pasta to the pan along with the yoghurt. Taste and adjust as needed- salt, pepper, lemon juice, herbs, more yoghurt. I tend to go heavy on the dill as a preference. Use a little reserved pasta cooking water to thin the sauce if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Everyday Tomato Pasta

Basic pasta with tomato sauce frequently shows up on our dinner table- especially during the week when we are short on time and inspiration. It never fails to hit the spot. My 8 year old prefers this version, with cream and a splash of wine (vodka is even better if you have it) and I have to say I am with him.