Because pasta is always a good idea and tomato with pasta even more so!

I add anchovies but they are totally optional. If you want to make this a vegetarian meal just omit the anchovies.

For the tomatoes I like to use a combination of different tomatoes, generally Romanitas and Roma / Plum tomatoes, but feel free to use whichever (ripe ones) you can find.

Herby Tomato & Feta Rigatoni

Author: Natasha Marais

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Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4

Ingredients

1 onion diced
4 cloves garlic pressed
5 anchovy fillets (optional)
½ habanero finely chopped
500 grams tomatoes
2 tbsp brown sugar
3 sprigs of thyme
1 handful fresh basil & flatleaf parsley chopped
250 grams rigatoni
1 round feta
parmesan to serve

Instructions

Over medium heat, fry onion in a little olive oil until soft. Add garlic and fry for a minute before adding the anchovies (optional), habanero, tomatoes and brown sugar.
Season with freshly ground salt and black pepper (go easy on the salt if you've added anchovies) and add the thyme sprigs. Cook for 30 to 45 minutes, adding a little water as / if needed.
While the tomatoes are cooking, cook your pasta according to package instructions. Before draining, add half a cup of the pasta water to the tomato sauce.
Add half the basil and parsley to the sauce, stir through and remove from heat.
The next step is totally optional but totally worth it and looks pretty too. Add the feta together with some tomatoes and lemon halves to a very hot griddle pan. Sprinkle a little sugar over the tomatoes and fry until the outsides have caramelized.
Mix the pasta with the sauce, add the fried tomatoes and feta, some parmesan and the remaining basil and parsley and enjoy!