Spaghetti with 'pickled' tomato sauce 'Pickled' Tomato Sauce with Fried Basil

'Pickled' is the only thing I can think of to describe what's done to the tomatoes in this recipe. A friend of my parents was visiting from Italy and he made a delicious tomato sauce for dinner one night in just minutes. My mother watched and learned that his secret was that he let the tomatoes sit in vinegar and salt for a few minutes before cooking them. The vinegar really rounds out the flavour of the tomatoes, and it surprising does not make the sauce too tart. The fried basil was my mother's genius. It goes perfectly with this pasta sauce - just crunch on a piece before taking a bite of pasta.

5 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp white vinegar
1/2 cup (loosely packed) fresh basil leaves, washed and completely dried
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 dried red chili, or 1/4 tsp dried red chilli flakes
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Parmesan cheese

In bowl, combine the tomatoes, vinegar and half of the salt. Mix well and set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and allow it to get hot (about one minute), then carefully add half of the basil leaves to the oil. It's important to make sure that the basil is dry so that the oil doesn't splatter. Stand back while the basil fries for about 30 seconds. Once the sizzling slows and the leaves have fried, remove the basil with a slotted spoon to a kitchen paper-lined plate.

Lower the heat and let the oil cool slightly, then add the garlic slices and crumble the red chilli into the oil. Stir and cook for a minute until the garlic becomes fragrant and starts to turn golden. Carefully add the tomatoes, including the liquid, into the skillet. Tear the remaining basil leaves into the sauce, add the pepper and the remaining salt and mix well. Allow the sauce to come to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes. The tomatoes should cook down but retain some of their texture.

Serve immediately over hot pasta, with shaved or grated parmesan and top with the fried basil leaves.

Makes 4 servings.

Rocket and goats cheese salad Rocket, Celery and Chevre Salad

Sometimes a simple salad is the best way to enjoy great ingredients. This one is my go-to when I want a light dinner on a warm night, or a salad that can go with almost anything else I'm serving. Here, crisp cold celery adds crunch to a favourite pairing of fresh rocket and soft goat cheese.

6 cups (loosely packed) baby rocket or wild rocket, well washed and dried
1 large stalk of celery, sliced crosswise very thinly (about 1/4 cup)
1/3 cup fresh chevre
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

In a large bowl, combine oil, vinegar, dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk together until the dressing emulsifies. Add rocket and celery to the bowl and toss or mix with your hands to coat well with the dressing.

Turn out leaves and celery on to a serving plate, making a bit of nest in the middle. Crumble the chevre into the centre and serve.

Makes 4 small servings or 2 main servings.

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Yasmin's yummy veggie recipes