Summer Pasta Recipe

Ingredients: 

• 300 g spaghetti
• 10-12 x vine-ripened small tomatoes, quartered
• 8 x Boccaccio balls, quartered
• 1 x cucumber, chunky diced
• 200 g Italian prosciutto, thinly sliced
• 1 handful pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 1 handful basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 30 ml olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
• 30 ml balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, peeled but kept whole
• ¼ teaspoon salt flakes
• 1 pinch black pepper, freshly ground

Directions:

1. Bring to the boil plenty of salted water, and add spaghetti and whole peeled garlic clove. Follow cooking instructions on packet for timing.
    
2. Whisk vinegar, salt and pepper together in a large serving bowl, then add oil in a thin drizzle while still whisking. Taste and add more oil if too vinegary.
    
3. While the pasta is cooking, add tomatoes and cucumber to dressing and toss to combine. Add Boccaccio, pine nuts and basil gently mix together. Stand at room temperature while the pasta is cooking, so the flavors have time to mingle.
    
4. Remove garlic clove from pasta water after 6 minutes, slice thinly and toss through tomato mixture.
    
5. Once pasta is cooked al-dente, drain and add immediately to bowl with other ingredients. Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving, so that the pasta can absorb the dressing liquid.
    
6. Serve either warm or room temperature with a drizzle of olive oil and the prosciutto roughly torn over each serve.

Note:Serves 4, Exclude the prosciutto and you have a vegetarian dish (delicious as well).