Quick ratatouille rigatoni with caper vinaigrette
Another speedy pasta recipe that needs very little introduction - it does what it says on the tin, so to speak; though even more deliciously than you might imagine.
Vegcentric.
It’s vegcentric, seasonal (or very soon to be seasonal here in the UK) and easy to whip up for a working-from-lunch or nourishing mid-week supper.
Katy has made many versions of this dish over the years. She’s a tomato fiend - roasted, raw, slathered on pizza - she cannot eat enough of them in a week, and when we’re in need a speedy tomato fix this recipe is our go-to.
Use any pasta you wish; we love lacing in extra fibre and protein and typically choose a red lentil, wholegrain or buckwheat pasta from Rustichella d’Abruzzo; they make the best alternative pastas in our book. Unless it’s silky silky smooth fresh pasta from an Italian restaurant or knocked-up at home, white pasta simply isn’t worth the nutrient trade off!
Don’t skip the anchovies and don’t be shy on the capers! These are two utter powerhouses of flavour which layer umami complexity into this simple and speedy dish.
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 12-14 minutes
This recipe serves: 2 people
Ingredients:
Pasta sufficient for 2
2 tbsp olive oil
½ brown onion
½ tsp chilli flakes
3 anchovies
1 large courgette, or 2 if smaller
12 sprigs fresh thyme
2 heaped tbsp baby capers
2-3 large vine tomatoes
2 cloves minced garlic
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper
Method:
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Keeping the lid on will speed up the process.
Meanwhile, prep your ingredients: finely dice the onion, finely dice the courgette into 1 cm cubes, roughly chop the tomatoes, and mince the garlic.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and sauté the onion for 6 minutes. Halfway through add the chilli flakes and anchovies. The anchovy will melt and disintegrate into the sauce and lend it a wonderful umami depth.
After 6 minutes add the diced courgette, plenty of stripped thyme leaves, drained capers and sea salt & pepper to the frying pan. Simultaneously, add your pasta to the boiling water and cook as per the packet’s instructions.
Stir and sauté the courgette for 4 minutes to warm through but retain a little bite in the centre.
After 4 minutes add the diced tomatoes, minced garlic, red wine vinegar and olive oil to the frying pan and stir well for 2 minutes over a medium heat. Make sure these ingredients are warmed through but there’s no need to ‘cook them out’ as it were, they are intended to be punchy and raw.
Once your pasta is cooked use a slotted spoon to transfer the pasta into the large frying pan and stir well. If a little pasta water carries over that’s no problem, it’ll mingle with the olive oil, tomato juices and vinegar.
Serve in warmed bowls with an extra drizzle of olive oil and a dash of red wine vinegar if you wish. We top this with our thyme, parmesan & lemon salt which we’ll be sharing here very soon! It’s a fantastic final sprinkle to so many pasta dishes.