Buttery tomato and courgette pasta with mint

This is a perfectly summery pasta dish loosely based on caponata - hence the addition of sultanas and capers which gives it a deliciously sweet and sour flavour. Tomatoes and butter are an underrated combination, we often think of tomatoes with olive oil, but they are sublime with butter - their sharp, fruit flavour cutting through the richness of the sauce. I love the mint here - both courgettes and tomatoes are great with mint - but you could add roughly-torn basil if your prefer.

The fried almonds are an optional addition, but it you have never fried, salted nuts before I urge you to try them. They are yummy but incredibly hard to stop eating, it’s definitely possible they will all have been munched before you serve the pasta!

Serves 4

75g butter
6 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 red chilli, finely chopped (optional)
20 cherry tomatoes, halved (or a few larger ones cut into wedges)
2 tablespoons sultanas
2 tablespoons capers
2 courgettes (about 300g), cut into 1cm thick rounds
1 tablespoon of olive oil
400g spaghetti or linguine
10g mint, leaves picked off stalks and finely sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grated cheese, to serve (optional)

For the fried almond garnish (optional):
50g almond, either skin on or blanched
75ml olive oil
Salt, to sprinkle

1. Put the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over a medium heat, once melted and foaming add the sliced garlic and chopped chilli and cook for a couple of minutes until the butter is just starting to turn golden. Swirl the pan frequently and watch it carefully as it’s very easy to burn the garlic.

2. Once the garlic turns golden add the tomatoes with a generous pinch of salt and turn the heat down to medium low. Cook for 20 minutes until the tomatoes have burst and infused into the butter. Add the sultanas and capers and cook for another couple of minutes.

3. While the tomatoes are cooking put the sliced courgettes in a bowl and drizzle over the olive oil. Heat a heavy-based frying pan or a griddle plan over a high heat and then cook the courgettes on one side until golden, then flip over and cook on the other side too. Keep the courgettes warm.

4. If you are making the fried almonds, put the oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat and once hot, but not smoking, add the almonds. Cook gently and stir frequently, there should be a gentle sizzle around the nuts, for about 5 minutes until the skins just start to burst or, if blanched, they are turning very lightly golden. Use a slotted spoon to remove the almonds from the hot oil, drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle generously with salt while still hot.

5. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, salt the water generously and add the spaghetti or linguine. Cook for 8-10 minutes until cooked through but still with a little bite. Strain the spaghetti and return to the pan.

6. Add the buttery tomatoes, cooked courgettes, most of the chopped mint and freshly ground pepper to the spaghetti and stir gently to mix together.

7. Roughly chop the fried almonds. Serve the pasta in warm pasta bowls with a sprinkle of fried almonds and the remaining mint over the top. Serve grated cheese on the side to be added as desired.