I find there is no better dish to eat in the summer evenings than pasta. Al fresco, with the late sunshine and a glass of red or white wine, I struggle to think of a better combination with which to while away those elongated evenings.
‘Pappare’ means ‘to gobble up’, in Italian, which is the destiny of this dish. I like it spicy, but the quantity of harissa can easily be reduced. Make the sauce three days ahead if you like and keep in the fridge until needed.
- 2 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced (220g/8oz)
- 3 tbsp rose harissa
- 400g/15oz cherry tomatoes, halved
- 55g/2oz pitted Kalamata olives, torn in half
- 20g/0.75oz baby capers
- 500g/18oz dried pappardelle pasta (or another wide, flat pasta)
- 15g/0.5oz parsley, roughly chopped
- 120g/4oz Greek-style yoghurt
- salt
- Put the oil into a large sauté pan, for which you have a lid, and place on a medium high heat. Once hot, add the onion and fry for 8 minutes, stirring every once in a while, until soft and caramelised.
- Add the rose harissa, tomatoes, olives, capers and ½ teaspoon of salt and continue to fry for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes start to break down. Add 200ml/7fl.oz of water and stir through.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium low, cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the lid of the sauce and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes, until the sauce is thick and rich. Stir in two-thirds of the parsley and set aside.
- Meanwhile, fill a large pot with plenty of salted water and place on a high heat. Once boiling, add the pappardelle and cook according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Drain well.
- Return the pasta to the pot along with the harissa sauce and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Mix together well, then divide between four shallow bowls. Serve hot, with a spoonful of yoghurt and a final sprinkle of parsley.
