Summer Spaghetti

With the weather getting warmer I can't help but make small changes to the way I eat. I'm loving adding fresh flavours to brighten classic dishes I make year-round.

With some small additions, you can transform a hearty warming winter meal into a fresh spring/summer lunch to sit on the patio under the sun and devour!

Another reason I can't get enough of this dish is the simplicity of it. I always have these ingredients in the pantry and fridge. It comes together so quickly, plus the more you do it the easier and faster you will get at it. I now can make the sauce while the pasta cooks and been sitting down enjoying this in 15 minutes or under.

Give it a try and make sure to share a photo with me on the gram!

Ingredients:

(serves 1)

Olive oil (for cooking)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for topping)

White/Yellow Onion (half of 1 small/medium)

Garlic (2/3 cloves)

Mushrooms (150g - sliced)

Tomato Paste (3/4 tbsp)

Spaghetti (1 portion)

Cherry Tomatoes (6 halved)

Mozarella (60g - torn into bite-size pieces)

Salt

Pepper

Chilli Flakes (optional)

Recipe:

1. Bring a pot to a boil. Salt the water sufficiently. It should taste like the ocean.

2. Prep your fresh ingredients into separate bowls.

3. Finely chop the onion. Mince the garlic. Slice the mushrooms - don't worry about them being evenly sliced. Having different thickness adds extra texture to the end result. Half the cherry tomatoes and tear the mozzarella.

4. Heat 1 or 2 tbsp of olive oil in the pan on medium heat. Add the onion and cooks them for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and translucent.

5. Add the mushrooms. Season with some salt to help the mushrooms release their liquid.

6. When the mushrooms have let out most of their liquid add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.

7. Now add the tomato paste and mix until fully incorporated. Cook for 2-3 minutes it will start to darken as it cooks. If it feels a little dry or sticks to the bottom of the pan use some of the pasta water. I kept adding small amounts until I added the pasta.

8. Reduce the heat to low if the pasta needs to finish cooking. Season with salt & pepper. Add the chilli flakes now to your personal spice level.

9. Cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.

10. Add the pasta to the sauce and combine fully. Use the reserved pasta to make sure the sauce fully coats all pasta.

11. Plate the spaghetti and top it with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella.

12. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with flakey salt and freshly cracked pepper.

Enjoy!