End-of-Summer Spaghetti with Tomatoes

Throughout the summer, I’ve made variations of this spaghetti – sometimes with whole, blanched tomatoes, and other times with beautifully ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped and tossed through the warm pasta. But my favorite version is this one – it celebrates the last taste of summer with the sweetest cherry tomatoes, almost bursting from the sun's warmth.

While basil is a natural choice for this dish, feel free to use any of your favorite herbs. They’ll all bring their own wonderful flavor!

Spaghetti with Tomatoes

Serves 3-4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus extra for serving)

• 450g cherry tomatoes

• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

• 8 black olives, unpitted

• 3 anchovy fillets, drained of their oil

• 40g salted capers, rinsed

• 350g spaghetti

• A large handful of herbs, roughly chopped (plus extra for serving)

• Sea salt and black pepper

Method

Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes release their juices and collapse. Pit the olives and tear them roughly into the sauce. Add the anchovies and capers, cooking for another 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens and the anchovies dissolve. Keep warm.

Step 2: Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted, boiling water until just before al dente.

Step 3: Return the sauce to medium heat and transfer the cooked spaghetti directly from the pot into the sauce using tongs, adding a bit of pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed. Add the mint and taste for seasoning – it may not need extra salt. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a scattering of fresh mint.