WINE & DINE: Provençal Pasta paired with Rosé

Let me transport you to Provence with a glass of rosé and a simple and fresh recipe that evokes the sunny South of France.

This simple spaghetti dish is based on just a few ingredients and pairs perfectly with a delicious glass of Provence rosé. Rosé is a great pairing with light tomato-based dishes as they have complementary characteristics. Rosé wines and tomatoes both have naturally high acid, a crisp mouthfeel and similar juicy and fruity flavours.

The key to this dish is to only cook the tomatoes for a short while on a low heat, so they are cooked through, but retain their structure and don't become too mushy.

Ingredients for two people

Cupboard

• 150g dried Spaghetti

• 3 heaped tbsps of diced Black Olives

• 2 heaped tbsps of Capers

• Olive oil

• Salt and pepper

Fresh

• 1 diced Garlic clove

• 1 diced Shallot

• Lots of Cherry Tomatoes

• 1 lemon (1/2 in dish and 1/2 to serve)

Optional extras

• Dried oregano

• Spinach leaves

• Chilli flakes

Method

Step 1: Add olive oil to a large frying pan on a medium heat. Then add the garlic, shallot, capers and black olives. Season with salt, pepper and oregano (optional). Stir to integrate ingredients.

Step 2: Meanwhile, in salted boiling water add your spaghetti.

Step 3: When your spaghetti has 5 minutes left to go, add you cherry tomatoes to the frying pan and turn to a low heat to gently cook the tomatoes. Add the juice of half a lemon.

Step 4: Drain the spaghetti, leaving a little spaghetti water. Add to the spaghetti to the frying pan with a couple of tbsps of spaghetti water and a nice drizzle of olive oil. Gently stir the spaghetti in with the rest of the ingredients.

Step 5: Serve immediately. I like to add some fresh spinach and a slice of lemon to the side of the plate, and to top the spaghetti with a sprinkle of chilli flakes and a final drizzle of olive oil.

Bon Appétit!

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